Pneumonitis related to docetaxel: case report and review of the literature.
Taxotere has recently been making a noticeable impact on breast, gastric, ovarian, prostate and non-small cell lung cancers. Its side effects include dyspnea, pruritus, skin rashes, fever and hypotension. The patient presented the less common, however potentially fatal, toxicity of pneumonitis. He initially presented with a flu-like illness and hypoxia that was unresponsive to antibiotic treatment and actually progressed. He presented 14 days after his second dose of taxotere, although in retrospect noted symptoms several days prior. Although some patients described in the literature have progressed to respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, this patient responded to steroid treatment and withdrawal of taxotere.
Alsamarai
Susan
S
Department of Clinical Oncology, Yale Univeristy School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, U.S.A.
Charpidou
Andriani G
AG
Matthay
Richard A
RA
Confeld
Daniel
D
Syrigos
Kostas N
KN
Saif
Muhammad W
MW
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D043823:Taxoids / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel