Mesenteric venous thrombosis attributed to docetaxel

We present a case of a 57-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer unre sponsive to several chemotherapeutic and hormonal regimens. Because of prog ressive pulmonary metastases and a painful osteolytic metastasis in the ste rnum, treatment with docetaxel was initiated. She developed mesenteric veno us thrombosis within 1 week after the first dose of docetaxel. Although docetaxel may be regarded as an important advancement in the chemo therapeutic treatment of several cancers, ongoing and future trials must as sess its position in the standard chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer. Wel l-documented adverse reactions, either common or rare, may contribute to a balanced risk-benefit profile of docetaxel.