doxorubicin hydrochloride

A drug used to treat many types of cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, sarcoma, Wilms tumor, and cancers of the lung, breast, stomach, ovary, thyroid, and bladder. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Doxorubicin hydrochloride comes from the bacterium Streptomyces peucetius. It damages DNA and may kill cancer cells. It is a type of anthracycline antitumor antibiotic. Doxorubicin is the active ingredient of doxorubicin hydrochloride. The brand names Adriamycin PFS, Adriamycin RDF, and Rubex have been taken off the market and are no longer available. Also called hydroxydaunorubicin.