Enhanced Toxicity Potential of a Regimen on Addition of Doxorubicin in Combination Chemo-therapy

A comparative study of cutaneous toxicities of two different commonly used combination chemotherapeutic regimens was conducted on 16 patients of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The common drugs in the two regimens were cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone. One of the regimens which was administered to 10 patients, included doxorubicin as an additional drug. This combination is preferred in high grade malignancy. However, the addition of doxorubicin resulted in enhanced severity and multiplicity of cutaneous manifestations. If it is possible to choose between two or more regimens for a given malignancy, the risk-benefit ratio can be weighed to choose the appropriate and least toxic drugs.