PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY SECONDARY TO DOCETAXEL (TAXOTERE)

Docetaxel (Taxotere), a semisynthetic analogue of the antitumor agent paclitaxel, inhibits tubulin depolymerization. Paclitaxel produces a p eripheral neuropathy. This study delineates clinically and electrophys iologically the characteristics of a peripheral neuropathy due to doce taxel. In 186 patients receiving docetaxel in phase I or phase II prot ocols, we performed serial neurologic exams, As patients became sympto matic, quantitative sensory testing and nerve conduction studies were done. Twenty-one patients developed mild to moderate sensory neuropath y on taxotere at a wide range of cumulative doses (50 to 750 mg/m(2)) and dose levels (10 to 115 mg/m(2)). Ten of these patients also develo ped weakness of varying degree in proximal and distal extremities. Nin e of the 21 patients had received neurotoxic chemotherapy before; 16 w ere treated with docetaxel at a dose level of 100 to 115 mg/m(2). In s ummary, docetaxel produced a sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy in 11% of our patient population.