Summary
Local skin necrosis is a serious complication of doxorubicin (Adriamycin) infiltration in man. Intradermal (ID) doxorubicin injection was used in the mouse to create skin lesions, after wich a number of local corticosteroid interventions were studied. The most effective local antidote was low-dose (2.5 mg) hydrocortisone (HC), but only against the low-dose doxorubicin challege (0.05 mg). Other andidotes with lesser effectiveness included dexamethasone-sodium bicarbonate and an intermediate dose of HC (6.25 mg). Larger doses of ID HC did not prevent local doxorubicin toxicity and were inherently toxic to the skin. Systemic corticosteroids were similarly ineffective. The superiority of the low ID HC dose, the ineffectiveness of additions (sodium bicarbonate, topical HC cream), and the resistance of the high-dose doxorubicin ID challenge (0.5 mg) suggests a limited role for corticosteroids in the management of experimental doxorubicin skin toxicity.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bachur NR (1975) Adriamycin (NSC-123127) Pharmacology. Cancer Chemother Rep [3] 6:153–158
Barlock AL, Howser DM, Hubbard SM (1979) Nursing management of adriamycin extravasation. Am J Nurs 79:94–96
Bowers DG, Lynch JB (1977) Adriamycin extravasation. Plast Reconstr Surg 61:86–92
Bristow MR, Billingham ME, Daniels JR (1979) (Abstract 477) Histamine and catecholamines mediate adriamycin cardiotoxicity. Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res/ASCO 20:118
Brunner MJ, Riddel JM Jr, Best WR (1951) Cutaneous side effects of ACTH, cortisone and pregnenolone therapy. J Invest Dermatol 16:205–210
Cohen MH (1979) Amelioration of adriamycin skin necrosis: An experimental study. Cancer Treat Rep 63:1003–1004
DiMarco A, Zunino F, Silvestrini R, et al (1971) Interaction of some daunomycin derivatives with deoxyribonucleic acid and their biological activity. Biochem Pharmacol 20:1323–1328
Dorr RT, Alberts DS, Chen HSG (1980) Experimental model of doxorubicin extravasation in the mouse. J Pharmacol Methods 4 (4):321–334
Freireich EJ, Gehan EA, Rall DP, Schhmidt LH, Skipper HE (1966) Quantitative comparison of toxicity of anticancer agents in mouse, rat, hamster, dog, monkey and man. Cancer Chemother Rep 50:219–244
Myers CE, McGuire W, Young R (1976) Adriamycin: Amelioration of toxicity by alpha-tocopherol. Cancer Treat Rep 60:961–962
Reilly JJ, Neifeld JP, Rosenberg SA (1977) Clinical course and management of accidental adriamycin extravasation. Cancer 40:2053–2056
Rudolph R, Stein RS, Patillo RA (1976) Skin ulcers due to adriamycin. Cancer 38:1087–1094
Rudolph R, Suzukim, and Luce JK (1979) Experimental skin necrosis produced by adriamycin. Cancer Treat Rep 63:529–537
Uitto J, Teir H, Mustakallio KK (1972) Corticosteroid-induced inhibition of the biosynthesis of human collagen. Biochem Pharmacol 21:2161–2167
Zweig JI, Kabakow B (1978) An apparently effective counter-measure for doxorubicin extravasation (Letter). JAMA 239:2116
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dorr, R.T., Alberts, D.S. & Chen, H.S.G. The limited role of corticosteroids in ameliorating experimental doxorubicin skin toxicity in the mouse. Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 5, 17–20 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00578557
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00578557