I am looking for information on the prescription medication called
Paxotere prescribed for a relative who has been rediagnosed with
breast cancer.

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 30 Jul 2004 14:38 PDT

Dear glory45,

1. Are you sure about the spelling? Could it be "Taxotere"?
2. What kind of information are you looking for?

Regards,
Scriptor

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Clarification of Question by glory45-ga on 30 Jul 2004 14:54 PDT

In response to your spelling question, it may be Taxotere.  I spelled
according to what my mother told me that she received over the phone
from my aunt.  Maybe mistranslation along the wya.

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Clarification of Question by glory45-ga on 30 Jul 2004 14:55 PDT

My aunt would like to know the purpose of the medication, its side effects, etc.

Dear glory45,

Here is a description of Taxotere and its possible side effects:


-- What is Taxotere? --

Taxotere is a chemotherapy drug used to treat locally advanced breast
cancer (cancer that is widespread in the breast area) or secondary
breast cancer (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body). The
active ingredient in Taxotere is derived from the needles of the
European yew tree (Taxus baccata). Taxotere is indicated for breast
cancer treatment after failure of prior chemotherapy.
Taxotere is the drug's brand name; the generic name is Docetaxel.


-- What does Taxotere do? --

Taxotere works in a specific way different from other chemotherapy
drugs; this is why it sees use when cancer is not responding to other
types of chemotherapy. When normal cells start dividing, structures
called microtubules develop. Microtubules are cylindrical structures
that form the basis of the cellular skeleton and are also essential to
the reproduction, growth, and spread of tumor cells. With cancer
cells, Taxotere has the ability to to disrupt the process of
microtubule assembly and disassembly. The drug stops  the microtubules
from breaking down. As a result, the cancer cells become blocked by
microtubules so that they can?t grow and divide anymore. Finally, the
cancer cells will die.


-- How is Taxotere given? --

Taxotere is given as a drip into a hand vein or arm vein. An
outpatient will usually get between four and six treatments. The
FDA-approved dose and schedule for Taxotere in the treatment of
metastatic breast cancer is 60 mg/m2 to 100 mg/m2 administered as a
1-hour intravenous (IV) infusion every 3 weeks. Dosing adjustments are
possible should side effects occur.


-- What Side Effects may occur? --

Possible side effects include:

- Complete loss of all hair (including eyebrows, eyelashes and body
hair) is very likely. The effect is temporary, the hair will begin
growing back about a month after the end of treatment.

- Decrease in production of white blood cells and thus an increased
risk of infection.

- Decrease in production of platelet and thus a risk of bruising or bleeding.

- Sometimes, a decrease in production of red blood cells (anaemia).

- Development of oedema (a build up of fluid in the body), resulting
in swollen ankles and legs.

- Temporary weight gain.

- Occasionally, numbness and/or tingling in hands and feet.

- Nausea, usually mild.

- Mild Diarrhoea.

- Allergic reactions, ranging from mild to severe  (including
difficulty breathing, closing of the throat, swelling of the lips,
tongue, or face, hives, skin rash, itching, back pain). In case of
severe allergic reactions, treatment with Taxotere will be stopped and
the drug will not be given again.

- Painful muscles and/or joints.

- Skin rash anywhere on the body.

- Temporary change of nail color.

- On rare occasions, the heart rate is slowed down; this can be
treated and will not mean that the treatment with Taxotere will have
to stop.

- Occasionally, mild pain where the injection needle has been inserted
or anywhere along the vein.

- Impacts on the liver's function.



This information was derived from the following sources, which also
provide more detailed information on Taxotere, the way it works and
the side effects:

Breast Cancer Care: Drug Therapy - Taxotere
http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/Breastcancer/Drugtherapy/Taxotere

Aventis Pharmaceuticals: Taxotere Prescribing Information
http://www.aventis-us.com/PIs/taxotere_TXT.html

Drugs.com: Taxotere Side Effects, Interactions and Information
http://web1.drugs.com/xq/cfm/pageid_0/htm_d04009A1.htm/type_mtm/tgid_36/bn_Taxotere/qx/index.htm

RxList: Taxotere (Docetaxel)
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/docetaxel.htm

Aventis Pharmaceuticals: About Taxotere
http://www.taxotere.com/professional/about/index.do



I hope that this information is what you needed!
Best regards,
Scriptor





Search terms used:
paxotere
://www.google.de/search?q=paxotere&ie=UTF-8&hl=de&btnG=Google-Suche&meta=
taxotere
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=taxotere&spell=1
taxotere "side effects"
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=taxotere+%22side+effects%22&btnG=Suche&meta=
"taxotere is"
://www.google.de/search?q=%22taxotere+is%22&ie=UTF-8&hl=de&btnG=Google-Suche&meta=

The information received was not worth anywhere near $100.00. The
proper thing to have done here was to tell me that the name of the
medication was misspelled and to have refunded at least half of my
money.  Absolutely no tip applies here.  I will say that I received a
fast response.