Definition

A drug that comes from the bacterium Streptomyces peucetius and is used alone or with other drugs to treat many types of cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, neuroblastoma, sarcoma, Wilms tumor, and certain cancers of the lung, breast, stomach, ovary, thyroid, and bladder. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Hydroxydaunorubicin damages the cell’s DNA and may kill cancer cells. It also blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell division and DNA repair. Hydroxydaunorubicin is a type of anthracycline antibiotic and a type of topoisomerase inhibitor. Also called Adriamycin and doxorubicin hydrochloride.