Taxotere is More Effective if Used Before Hormone Resistance Develops.

Taxotere (docetaxel®) and taxol are plant alkaloids derived from  the European yew tree, Taxus Baccata.  Taxotere is synthetically obtained by chemically converting a precursor extracted from the needles of the yew plant.  Administered intravenously, both are used to treat several malignancies including breast, stomach, lung, ovarian and prostate cancers.  Clinical trials completed in 2004 demonstrated that taxotere increased survival in hormone-resistant (refractory) prostate cancer patients.  An excellent, updated review of taxotere in prostate cancer was recently published in the August, 2014 issue of the Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI) Insights. The review article discussed taxotere’s mechanism of action, dosages and protocols of administration and significant side effects.  Importantly however, it cited a recent study of 800 men with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. The study concluded that taxotere’s beneficial effects may be even further enhanced by administering it at an earlier stage in men with newly-diagnosed, high-risk disease or men with hormone-sensitive, metastatic disease. Significant side effects include peripheral neuropathy, anemia, fatigue, hair loss, lowered white blood cell (neutorpenia) and platelet counts. Therefore the maximum benefit of using taxotere may be achieved by using it at the right time and in the right combination.  Since there are several alternative therapies now approved and available for men with metastatic, hormone-resistant or -sensitive prostate cancers, consultation with an expert prostate cancer physician is absolutely critical.  For additional information, see a 2007 article from Dr. Richard Lam, published in the PCRI Insights.

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