Impact of Doxorubicin-Based Chemotherapy on Renal Function: Assessing the Acute Kidney Injury by Changes in Serum Creatinine and Nephrotoxicity

Authors
  • Noor Kaseb Hadi

    Oncology Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq.

  • Adel S. Aqabi

    Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Center, Baghdad, Iraq.

Keywords:
Doxorubicin, Nephrotoxicity, Acute Kidney Injury, Serum Creatinine, Anthracycline Toxicity
Abstract

The utilisation of anthracycline-based chemotherapy, most notably doxorubicin, has become a prevalent therapeutic modality in the management of diverse malignancies. Notwithstanding its therapeutic effectiveness, concerns regarding nephrotoxicity have gained prominence, as acute kidney injury (AKI) may adversely affect treatment continuity and patient outcomes. In order to evaluate the impact of doxorubicin-containing regimens on renal function, it is necessary to assess changes in serum creatinine and blood urea levels before and after treatment. Furthermore, the incidence and severity of AKI must be determined. A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients receiving doxorubicin-based chemotherapy. A comprehensive analysis encompassing demographic data, chemotherapy protocols, and renal biomarkers was conducted prior to and following treatment. The present study defined and staged AKI in accordance with the KDIGO criteria. Renal function exhibited a substantial decline following treatment. Consequently, mean serum creatinine levels exhibited an increase from 0.76 ± 0.21 mg/dL to 0.90 ± 0.22 mg/dL (p < 0.001), while blood urea levels rose from 35.28 ± 6.33 mg/dL to 37.18 ± 5.67 mg/dL (p < 0.001). The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) was observed in 27% of patients, predominantly in Stage I (77.6%), with Stage II accounting for 22.4%. No severe (Stage III) AKI was observed. Doxorubicin-based chemotherapy has been associated with early renal impairment and a notable incidence of AKI. It is imperative that renal biomarkers are monitored regularly in order to facilitate early detection and prevention of nephrotoxicity, thereby ensuring the safe administration of chemotherapy.

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Published
2026-07-29
Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Section
Research Article/Original Research
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Copyright (c) 2026 Noor Kaseb Hadi, Adel S. Aqabi

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Hadi, N. K., & Aqabi, A. S. (2026). Impact of Doxorubicin-Based Chemotherapy on Renal Function: Assessing the Acute Kidney Injury by Changes in Serum Creatinine and Nephrotoxicity. Middle Eastern Cancer and Oncology Journal, 2(3), 17-24. https://doi.org/10.61706/MECOJ160235

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