Which drug in the standard induction regimen for acute lymphoblastic leukemia is an anthracycline?

• A. Daunorubicin
• B. Asparaginase
• C. Vincristine
• D. Prednisone

Answer: (A)

Daunorubicin is an anthracycline. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia induction, anthracyclines provide rapid, potent killing of proliferating lymphoblasts by intercalating into DNA and generating free radicals, which damage DNA and inhibit topoisomerase II. This leads to DNA breaks and apoptosis, helping achieve quick remission. Among the options, the others are not anthracyclines: asparaginase depletes asparagine to starve leukemic cells; vincristine disrupts microtubule formation; prednisone is a corticosteroid that induces lymphoid cell death. So daunorubicin is the anthracycline used in the standard induction regimen.