doxorubicin or epirubicin (Pfizer)

**Doxorubicin or epirubicin** is a non-specific trial-regimen designation for either of two distinct anthracycline cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs, rather than one chemical entity or fixed-dose combination. In the Fudan University TA(E)C-GP versus A(E)C-T study in high-risk triple-negative breast cancer, the notation A(E) indicates that doxorubicin or epirubicin may serve as the anthracycline component. Both agents intercalate DNA and inhibit topoisomerase II, producing DNA damage and suppressing replication and transcription in rapidly proliferating tumor cells. The term should not be normalized to either doxorubicin or epirubicin alone because they are closely related but chemically distinct medicines.