title: Safe dose reduction of steroid pre-medication for docetaxel in head and neck neoplasm treatment.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that the rate of severe hypersensitivity reactions did not increase when the dexamethasone pre-medication dose was reduced to 11 mg prior to docetaxel infusion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Dexamethasone is commonly used to prevent the adverse effects of docetaxel in head and neck neoplasm treatment. The recommended dexamethasone dose is 8 mg orally twice daily for 3 days for each injection of docetaxel. This pre-medication reduces the incidence of adverse effects to 1-2% of treated patients. However, many adverse events have been observed with long-term steroid use. In an attempt to balance the benefits and harms of steroid prophylaxis without affecting the safety of docetaxel, this study tried to reduce the duration and dose of dexamethasone.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, a total of 336 patients underwent docetaxel-containing protocols (TP or TPF regimens) to treat head and neck neoplasms. Docetaxel was given in doses of 70 mg/m(2) once every 3 weeks. Dexamethasone (0.75 mg/tablet) pre-medication was given in different doses (45, 24, 18, and 11 mg); the minimum dose included 6 mg orally in the morning and 5 mg intravenously immediately before docetaxel infusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severe hypersensitivity reactions were experienced by none of 30 patients who received 45 mg (7.5 mg orally twice for 3 days) dexamethasone pre-medication in 125 cycles, none of 20 patients who received 24 mg (6 mg orally twice for 2 days) dexamethasone in 77 cycles, and none of 20 patients who received 18 mg (4.5 mg orally twice for 2 days) dexamethasone in 79 cycles. Three of 266 patients who received 11 mg dexamethasone in 1054 applications developed a severe hypersensitivity reaction with bronchospasm and hypotension, two of the 266 patients developed a severe rash, and four developed severe oedema.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery , Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Nan-Xiang
authors.initials: NX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery , Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Fei-Fan
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery , Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery , Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital , Beijing , PR China.
authors.forename: Xin-Xin
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011292:Premedication / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D003907:Dexamethasone
keywords: Docetaxel; dexamethasone; head and neck neoplasm treatment; severe hypersensitivity reactions