Taxane

Taxanes are a class of diterpenes. They were originally identified from plants of the genus Taxus (yews), and feature a taxadiene core. Paclitaxel (Taxol) and docetaxel (Taxotere) are widely used as chemotherapy agents.

Cabazitaxel was FDA approved to treat hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Taxanes present difficulties in formulation as medicines because they are poorly soluble in water.

Anticancer drugs, especially taxane and its derivatives, could promote brain metastases, decreasing free survival. Mechanisms are discussed but still need to be determined ¹⁾.

Serrano Sponton and Januschek, discuss the coexistence, in a case, of taxane-associated hydrocephalus and polyneuropathy and describe the clinical features, assessment and surgical outcome of docetaxel-induced hydrocephalus, since its early recognition and differentiation from the highly frequent taxane-associated polyneuropathy has relevant consequences for the management and treatment of these patients ²⁾.

¹⁾

Amelot A, Terrier LM, Mathon B, Cook AR, Mazeron JJ, Valery CA, Cornu P, Leveque M, Carpentier A. Can anticancer chemotherapy promote the progression of brain metastases? Med Oncol. 2018 Feb 9;35(3):35. doi: 10.1007/s12032-018-1097-4. PubMed PMID: 29427159.

²⁾

Serrano Sponton LE, Januschek E. A Rare Case of Docetaxel-Induced Hydrocephalus Presenting with Gait Disturbances Mimicking and Coexisting with Taxane-Associated Polyneuropathy: The Relevance of Differential Diagnosis, Clinical Assessment, and Response to Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt. Case Rep Oncol. 2017 Nov 6;10(3):973-980. doi: 10.1159/000481706. eCollection 2017 Sep-Dec. PubMed PMID: 29279701; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5731179.