The use of adriamycin and its derivatives in the treatment of prostatic cancer.

Adriamycin and the other anthracyclines are amongst the most effective cytotoxic agents at the clinician's disposal. At least one of the reasons for their efficacy is the large number of mechanisms by which they can induce potentially lethal damage in a dividing malignant cell. Adriamycin and epirubicin are amongst the more effective agents in advanced hormone-independent prostate cancer. When given in full doses, they produce a reasonable number of objective as well as subjective responses, but the resultant toxicity precludes their use at high dose in many patients. In a number of well-documented studies, lower doses of these agents have yielded useful subjective responses with minimal toxicity.