Doxorubicin can be used for low CD4 (<200CD4 lymphocyte / mm3) and has extensive mucocutaneous and visceral disease, AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (AIDS-KS) patients. Second-line chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin chemotherapy can be used as first-line drugs, or as a treat AIDS-KS patients had progression of the disease, can also be used for patients who can not tolerate the following two or more drugs in combination with chemotherapy: Vincristine, Bleomycin and Doxorubicin (or other anthracyclines).

Open and controlled clinical study of AIDS-KS patients showed that the most common adverse reactions associated with Doxorubicin is bone marrow suppression, almost nearly half of the patients happen.

Neutropenia is the most common adverse reactions of patients, can also be found anemia and thrombocytopenia. These reactions are typically seen in the treatment of early stage, and is temporary. Few clinical trials discontinued due to bone marrow suppression. There hematologic toxicity may be required to reduce the amount or suspend and postpone treatment. Among neutrophil count <1000 / mm3, or a platelet count <50,000 / mm3 should suspend the use of Doxorubicin. Among neutrophil count <1000 / mm3, the simultaneous use of G-CSF or GM-CSF to maintain the number of blood cells.

In clinical studies using Doxorubicin common clinically significant laboratory abnormalities (≥ (greater than or equal to) 5%) include alkaline phosphatase increase and asparaginase transferase and increased bilirubin, these reactions are considered nothing to do with underlying diseases related to Doxorubicin. According to reports, the low (<5%) of hemoglobin and the incidence of thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, sepsis caused more rare (<1%). Above may be associated with certain exceptions generated HI infection, rather than Doxorubicin cause.

Other higher incidence (≥ (greater than or equal to) 5%) adverse reactions are: nausea, weakness, hair loss, fever, diarrhea, acute infusion-related reaction with and stomatitis.

Infusion reactions mainly flushing, shortness of breath, facial swelling, headache, chills, back pain, chest and throat to narrow sense, hypotension. In most cases, the adverse reaction occurred in the first course of treatment. Use some symptomatic treatment, after a pause or slow drip infusion rate after a few hours to eliminate these reactions.

According to reports, the patient conventional continuous infusion Doxorubicin hydrochloride visible stomatitis, patients receiving Doxorubicin is also to be reported. This does not affect the patient completed treatment, generally do not need to adjust the dose, unless stomatitis affect the ability of the patient's diet, this time between the extended dosing period or reduction.

Adverse reactions (≥ (greater than or equal to) 5%) occurred often respiratory system Doxorubicin clinical studies, which may be patient with AIDS-related opportunistic infections. Doxorubicin KS patients seen after use of opportunistic infections, immune deficiencies caused by the HIV patients commonly occur. In clinical studies, the most common opportunistic infection is candidiasis, cytomegalovirus infection, herpes simplex, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and Mycobacterium avium infection alone.