Details

Docetaxel is a cancer medication that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body. Docetaxel is used to treat breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer, and head/neck cancer. To make sure docetaxel is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease a history of liver disease or alcoholism heart disease, congestive heart failure fluid retention or swelling problems an allergy to any medicines if you need to limit your alcohol intake or if you have lung cancer and you have received docetaxel in the past. Using docetaxel may increase your risk of developing other types of cancer, such as leukaemia. Do not use docetaxel if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby.

Typical Uses

Docetaxel is used to treat cancer (such as breast, lung, prostate, stomach, and head/neck cancer). Docetaxel is a member of a family of drugs called taxanes. This drug works by slowing cell growth.

Side Effects

Some of the side effects of docetaxel include sudden vision problems extreme weakness, severe vomiting or diarrhoea redness or peeling of the skin on your hands and feet numbness, burning pain, or tingly feeling a feeling of being drunk-confusion, stumbling, extreme drowsiness signs of infection-fever, swollen gums, painful mouth sores, pain when swallowing, skin sores, cold or flu symptoms, cough, trouble breathing low red blood cells-pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating low platelets in your blood-easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin fluid retention-little or no urinating, swelling of your ankles or feet, rapid weight gain or liver problems-upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-coloured stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). Older adults may be more likely to have side effects from docetaxel.

Drug Interactions

• Docetaxel+adalimumab- Using adalimumab together with docetaxel may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

• Docetaxel+amprenavir- Talk to your doctor before using docetaxel together with amprenavir. Combining these medications may significantly increase the blood levels of docetaxel. This may increase the risk of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, mouth sores, fluid retention, nerve pain, numbness, tingling, muscle pain or weakness, and impaired bone marrow function resulting in low numbers of different types of blood cells.

• Docetaxel+boceprevir- Talk to your doctor before using docetaxel together with boceprevir. Combining these medications may significantly increase the blood levels of docetaxel. This may increase the risk of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, mouth sores, fluid retention, nerve pain, numbness, tingling, muscle pain or weakness, and impaired bone marrow function resulting in low numbers of different types of blood cells.

• Docetaxel+delavirdine- Talk to your doctor before using docetaxel together with delavirdine. Combining these medications may significantly increase the blood levels of docetaxel. This may increase the risk of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, mouth sores, fluid retention, nerve pain, numbness, tingling, muscle pain or weakness, and impaired bone marrow function resulting in low numbers of different types of blood cells.

Mechanism of action

Docetaxel belongs to a class of medicines called as taxanes. It works by killing the rapidly multiplying cancer cells, thus stopping its growth and spread.

Pregnancy Category : D