doxorubicin + methotrexate

Doxorubicin + methotrexate is a chemotherapy combination used in the treatment of various cancers, including sarcomas and breast cancer. This combination leverages the complementary mechanisms of both drugs - doxorubicin as an anthracycline that intercalates with DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II, and methotrexate as an antimetabolite that inhibits dihydrofolate reductase. The combination has been studied in various dosing schedules, including weekly administration for sarcomas and as part of more complex regimens like MAP (methotrexate, doxorubicin, cisplatin) for osteosarcoma. Clinical studies have shown that doxorubicin-containing regimens can be superior to methotrexate-containing regimens in certain contexts, such as in chemotherapy-naïve patients with advanced breast cancer.