skin side effect to taxotere

I couldn't seem to have success posting a URL for this so cut and pasted the whole thing I found via 'google'.

You'll find info about peeling skin scrolling down towards the end of the article - rare - says report to doctor.

Hope it helps - lots of info here.
Jean

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DOCETAXEL (Systemic)

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Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S.-

Taxotere
In Canada-

Taxotere

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Category Top of Page

Antineoplastic

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Description Top of Page

Docetaxel (doe-se-TAX-el) belongs to the group of medicines called antineoplastics. It is used to treat breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.

Docetaxel interferes with the growth of cancer cells, which are eventually destroyed. Since the growth of normal body cells may also be affected by docetaxel, other effects will also occur. Some of these may be serious and must be reported to your doctor. Other effects may not be serious but may cause concern. Some effects may not occur for months or years after the medicine is used.

Docetaxel may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Before you begin treatment with docetaxel, you and your doctor should talk about the good this medicine will do as well as the risks of using it.

Docetaxel is to be administered only by or under the immediate supervision of your doctor. It is available in the following dosage form:

Parenteral
Injection (U.S. and Canada)


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Before Using This Medicine Top of Page

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For docetaxel, the following should be considered:

Allergies-Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to docetaxel.

Pregnancy-Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you intend to become pregnant. Studies in rats and rabbits have shown that docetaxel causes miscarriages and deaths of the fetus, as well as problems in the mother.

Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before taking this medicine. It is best to use some kind of birth control while you are receiving docetaxel. Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while receiving docetaxel.

Breast-feeding-It is not known whether docetaxel passes into breast milk. However, because this medicine may cause serious side effects, breast-feeding is generally not recommended while you are receiving it.

Children-Docetaxel has been studied in a limited number of children. The study showed that children are especially sensitive to the effects of docetaxel and cannot be given usual doses of the medicine.

Older adults-This medicine has been tested in elderly patients and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines-Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving docetaxel, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

Amphotericin B by injection (e.g., Fungizone) or
Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
Colchicine or
Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir) or
If you have ever been treated with x-rays or cancer medicines-Docetaxel may increase the effects of these medicines or radiation therapy on the blood
Erythromycins (medicine for infection) or
Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) or
Midazolam (e.g., Versed) or
Orphenadrine (e.g., Norflex) or
Testosterone (male hormone) or
Troleandomycin-Higher blood levels of docetaxel may occur, increasing the chance of serious side effects
Other medical problems-The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of docetaxel. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Alcohol abuse or history of-The risk of some side effects affecting the muscles and nerves may be increased
Chickenpox (including recent exposure) or
Herpes zoster (shingles)-Risk of severe disease affecting other parts of the body
Fluid in lungs-docetaxel may make your condition worse
Infection-Docetaxel may decrease your body's ability to fight infection
Liver disease-The chance of serious side effects is greatly increased

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Proper Use of This Medicine Top of Page

This medicine often causes nausea and vomiting, which is usually mild. However, it is very important that you continue to receive the medicine even if you begin to feel ill. Ask your health care professional for ways to lessen these effects.

Your doctor may direct you to take a corticosteroid medicine such as dexamethasone (e.g., Decadron), starting the day before you receive an injection of docetaxel and continuing for a few days after a docetaxel treatment. This other medicine decreases the chance of an allergic reaction to docetaxel and certain other side effects. It is very important that you take each dose of the corticosteroid medicine as directed .

Dosing-The dose of docetaxel will be different for different patients. The dose that is used may depend on a number of things, including what the medicine is being used for, the patient's size, and whether or not other medicines are also being taken. If you are receiving docetaxel at home, follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label . If you have any questions about the proper dose of docetaxel, ask your doctor.


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Precautions While Using This Medicine Top of Page

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.

While you are being treated with docetaxel, and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (vaccinations) without your doctor's approval . Docetaxel may lower your body's resistance and there is a chance you might get the infection the immunization is meant to prevent. In addition, other persons living in your household should not take oral polio vaccine since there is a chance they could pass the polio virus on to you. Also, avoid persons who have taken oral polio vaccine within the past several months. Do not get close to them and do not stay in the same room with them for very long. If you cannot take these precautions, you should consider wearing a protective face mask that covers the nose and mouth.

Docetaxel can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which are necessary for proper blood clotting. If this occurs, there are certain precautions you can take, especially when your blood count is low, to reduce the risk of infection or bleeding:

If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you are getting an infection or if you get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.
Check with your doctor immediately if you notice any unusual bleeding or bruising; black, tarry stools; blood in urine or stools; or pinpoint red spots on your skin.
Be careful when using a regular toothbrush, dental floss, or toothpick. Your medical doctor, dentist, or nurse may recommend other ways to clean your teeth and gums. Check with your medical doctor before having any dental work done.
Do not touch your eyes or the inside of your nose unless you have just washed your hands and have not touched anything else in the meantime.
Be careful not to cut yourself when you are using sharp objects such as a safety razor or fingernail or toenail cutters.
Avoid contact sports or other situations where bruising or injury could occur.


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Side Effects of This Medicine Top of Page

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Some side effects will have signs or symptoms that you can see or feel. Your doctor may watch for others by doing certain tests.

Also, because of the way these medicines act on the body, there is a chance that they might cause other unwanted effects that may not occur until months or years after the medicine is used. These delayed effects may include certain types of cancer. Discuss these possible effects with your doctor.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

Black, tarry stools; blood in urine or stools; cough or hoarseness (accompanied by fever or chills); difficult or painful urination (accompanied by fever or chills); fever or chills; lower back or side pain (accompanied by fever or chills); noisy, rattling breathing; pinpoint red spots on skin; troubled breathing while at rest; unusual bleeding or bruising

Rare

Chest pain; fast or irregular heartbeat; shortness of breath

Docetaxel sometimes causes allergic reactions, especially during the first few treatments. Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you notice back pain or itching during an injection . Your doctor or nurse will be watching out for other signs of an allergic reaction while you are receiving this medicine, and will be ready to treat any serious effects right away.


Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Swelling of abdomen, face, fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs; unusual tiredness or weakness; weight gain

*********Less common

*******Red, scaly, swollen, or peeling areas of skin (severe)

Rare

Decrease in blood pressure, sometimes with dizziness or fainting; increase in blood pressure, sometimes with dizziness or headaches


This medicine may also cause the following side effects that your doctor will watch out for:

More common

Anemia; low white blood cell count

Less common

High or low blood pressure; low platelet count in blood


Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Burning, numbness, tingling, or pain in arms, hands, legs, or feet; diarrhea; nausea; skin rash or redness (mild); sores or ulcers on the lips or tongue or inside the mouth; weakness in arms, hands, legs, or feet

Less common

Change in color of fingernails or toenails; dry, red, hot, or irritated skin at place of injection; headache; loosening or loss of fingernails or toenails, sometimes painful; pain in joints or muscles; pain, swelling, or lump under the skin at place of injection; vomiting

This medicine usually causes a temporary loss of hair. After treatment with docetaxel has ended, normal hair growth should return.

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.


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Additional Information Top of Page

Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although these uses are not included in the product labeling, docetaxel is used in certain patients with the following medical conditions:

Bladder cancer
Esophageal cancer
Head and neck cancer
Lung cancer, small cell
Ovarian cancer
Prostate cancer
Stomach cancer
Other than the above information, there is no additional information relating to proper use, precautions, or side effects for these uses.


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Developed: 09/17/1997
Revised: 07/23/2001



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Do I know about that! I found out that the chance of having our little side effect hell, is about 1 in a million! LUCKY- us! But, I had what were like blisters from the inside out on my hands and feet. HURT, yes! I had to stop my weekly taxotere for a week and try to get them to heal some. I was told by my oncologist use Vitamin E and rub it on your hands and feet all the time. My local rite aid drug store had liquid Vit E so, I bought some of those spa gloves. Cotton like with a bit of spandex at Bed Bath and Beyond and WalMart has them too. I loaded my hands with the Vit e and put on the gloves. I cut out the finger ends and even wore them to work- The way I looked and still look thru this wild ride sure does put vanity in it's place. I put the E on my hands a t least 2 x's a day and more on weekends, Oh, my onc also, told me to take B complex vitamins. I went to the local pharmacist and asked what was a good b complex and got those and I still take them. Couldn't hurt might help! I will tell you it goes away and tyou skin doesn't scar. If you need more you can answer back here I'll check up on this question. Good Luck and remember, this too shall pass! Those little army men are inside fighting to get you control of your cell reproduction.

Susan, I didn't realize this until after you posted your message. I switched off entirely to flip flops at home and backless toeless slides in public during chemotherapy. When I looked closely at my heels last night, it appears that large areas on the inner aspect blistered up under the skin and then left small dried up skin over where the bubbles were. The skin does rub off easily. I had heard about fluid bubbling up under the fingernails, so I kept an eye open for that and did have some discomfort without ever losing nails. Also have had stinging of fingers and palms..... palms sometimes did look funny red. This too shall pass. Love, Denise