Docetaxel neuropathy

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Abstract
Docetaxel (Taxotere) is the second member of a new category of chemotherapeutic antitumor agents with demonstrated efficacy against a variety of tumors that are often refractory to conventional therapy. The diterpene alkaloids, or taxoids as they are known, have a unique mechanism of action. They promote microtubule assembly, leading to the formation of large bundles of disordered microtubules. [1] Because these microtubules are unusually stable, the equilibrium between dissociated tubulin and formed microtubules, which is necessary for mitosis to proceed, is disrupted and the cancer cell dies. This is in contrast to the vinca alkaloids, which induce microtubule disassembly. The first representative of this new class of drugs to be discovered was paclitaxel, originally isolated from the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia. Paclitaxel was discovered during a screening program in which the investigators were looking for naturally occurring antitumor agents, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute in 1971. [2] Prior to 1993, paclitaxel was referred to as taxol. At that time, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Princeton, NJ) registered the name Taxol, and the generic name, paclitaxel, was approved. Paclitaxel showed early promise as a potentially important new therapy for …