TAXANE TOXICITY

Course overview

TAXANES ARE WIDELY-USED CHEMOTHERAPY AGENTS FOR TREATING VARIOUS SOLID MALIGNANCIES AND WORK AS MICROTUBULE INHIBITORS. THE RESULTING CELL CYCLE INHIBITION DURING THE G2/M PHASE ACTIVATES THE CELLULAR APOPTOSIS PATHWAYS. THEY FORM THE BACKBONE OF CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC REGIMENS IN BREAST, OVARIAN, NON-SMALL CELL LUNG, AND HEAD AND NECK CANCERS. EXTENSIVE TOXICITIES, INCLUDING HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS, MYELOSUPPRESSION, AND NEUROPATHY, OFTEN LIMIT THE USE OF TAXANES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, INCIDENCE, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF DIFFERENT ADVERSE EVENTS RELATED TO TAXANES. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM AND PATIENT EDUCATION FOR PROMPTLY MANAGING THIS PROBLEM.