Epirubicin

Drug Name: Epirubicin

Drug Class: It is a chemotherapy drug 

Available under the brand name: Ellence

What Is It Prescribed For? 

• Breast cancer 
• Stomach cancer
• Bladder cancer

How Is It Given?

It is given as an infusion into a vein once every 3 weeks or twice every 4 weeks for 6 cycles of therapy.

What Are Common Side Effects?

You may face some of these side effects:

• Decreased blood count
• Redness, pain, itching, and sores at the injection site
• Nausea and vomiting
• Inflammation of mouth and gut
• Diarrhea
• Irregular heartbeats
• Hair loss
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling of hands, legs, feet, or ankles
• Bleeding and bruising
• Fever, sore throat, and cough 
• Early menopause

Your doctor can prescribe medication to control these side effects. Epirubicin may also cause other side effects. If you face any unusual or serious problems, inform your doctor immediately.

Who Should Avoid Taking This Drug?

Patients with the following characteristics should avoid taking this drug:

• Heart failure
• Recent myocardial infarction (a heart attack that occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked)
• Severe arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat)
• Liver failure
• Low levels of neutrophils (a kind of white blood cells)
• Severe allergic reactions to Epirubicin or any of its ingredients
• Previous treatment with anthracyclines (a type of antibiotics)

How Much Does This Drug Cost?

Available in 10mg, 50mg, 100mg, 150mg, and 200mg vials. Depending on the brand, the cost of Epirubicin 50mg can range between INR 1000 – INR 3200 per vial.