Life-threatening hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced by docetaxel (taxotere)
2001

Severe lung reaction to docetaxel treatment

Sample size: 4 publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Wang G-S, Yang K-Y, Perng R-P

Primary Institution: Chest Department, Taipei Veterans General Hospital; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

Hypothesis

Can docetaxel treatment lead to life-threatening hypersensitivity pneumonitis in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer?

Conclusion

Docetaxel can cause life-threatening hypersensitivity pneumonitis that is difficult to treat.

Supporting Evidence

  • Four patients developed life-threatening pneumonitis after docetaxel treatment.
  • Pneumonitis was diagnosed based on clinical and radiological findings.
  • Patients were treated with high doses of corticosteroids but showed persistent symptoms.

Takeaway

Some patients treated with docetaxel for lung cancer can develop a serious lung problem that makes it hard to breathe.

Methodology

Four patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer were treated with docetaxel and monitored for adverse reactions.

Limitations

The study is based on a very small sample size of only four patients.

Participant Demographics

Patients had advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1054/bjoc.2001.2071

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