ACUTE DIFFUSING INTERSTITIAL PNEUMONITIS WITH DOCETAXEL TREATMENT

Docetaxel, a new chemotherapeutic agent, has demonstrated activity in nan-small cell lung cancer and breast cancer. Toxicities associated wi th treatment using docetaxel include hypersensitivity reactions and fl uid retention, which can be prevented by pretreatment with corticoster oids. We describe herein two cases of acute interstitial pneumonitis a fter administration of docetaxel to patients suffering from metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. A pulmonary toxicity of docetaxel from an hypersensitivity reaction is likely because of symptoms course, radio logical demonstration of an interstitial pneumonitis, lack of an infec tious etiology and of clinical response to antibiotic treatment, and r apid recovery with corticosteroids. This unusual pulmonary toxicity ha s been rarely described with docetaxel, as transient pulmonary infiltr ates have been observed during treatment with paclitaxel. The possibil ity of an hypersensitivity pneumonitis must be taken into account when a patient with docetaxel treatment presents pulmonary infiltrates.