Treating cancer through chemotherapy often calls for using a combination, or cocktail, of medications are drugs. How they are prescribed, how they’re given, and how they can impact the person receiving chemotherapy change from person to person. We know that in general chemo drugs are used to treat cancer, but there is no set list on what chemo drugs prescribed to which types of cancer.
Taxotere, for example, is often present in cocktails for treating breast cancer. But it appears in a number of other cocktails as well. Additionally, not all Cancer drugs work the same way and Taxotere has stood out for decades for its effectiveness. But it’s also gained quite a bit of notoriety for side effects.
When is Taxotere in Chemotherapy Cocktails?
One of the most common chemotherapy cocktails for breast cancer, when it’s in its early stages, is TC. That is a combination of Taxotere and Cytoxan. This is usually given before or after breast cancer surgery and it can be used to shrink a tumor or to kill remaining cancer cells that weren’t removed during surgery.
Even now the TC regiment frequently used in breast cancer chemotherapy does not cite long-term hair loss as a possible side effect. CC lists the lowering of white blood cells, fever, infection, muscle weakness, nausea, diarrhea, muscle aches, joint pain, and more. However, hair loss, alopecia, and lifelong alopecia don’t appear on this list.
How Do Chemo Cocktails Work?
Chemotherapy cocktails have been around for so long that it seems they’re more common practice out of habit. The American Society for clinical oncology actually recommend treating breast cancer with one single effective drug at a time because it is less likely to call side effects. They note that using one drug instead of a cocktail will probably improve a patient’s quality of life, and it doesn’t impact their survival opportunities.
However, the ASCO has also acknowledged that using multiple drugs in combination or in a cocktail is more likely to result inpatient hospitalization. Patients may become hospitalized as a result of serious side effects, or a response to the mixture of drugs. The ASCO notes that the only time we should consider using a combination of drugs and a chemotherapy cocktail is when cancer needs to shrink quickly as its causing severe symptoms are putting the patient in danger.
Doctors are Responsible for Communicating All Possible Side Effects
There may be a variety of people who are responsible for clearly communicating the side effects of your chemotherapy drugs. First and foremost, your doctor or your oncologist should be explaining all the possible side effects and the likelihood of them appearing. They should acknowledge that if you’re receiving a cocktail that includes Taxotere, the likelihood of hair loss goes up substantially then if you were to receive either of the chemotherapy medications independently.
Aside from the doctors and oncologists, a pharmacist and the one administering the chemotherapy should also discuss the possible side effects. When it comes to chemotherapy, there should be an abundance of information about possible side effects to help prepare the patient for the weeks and months ahead.
Effects of Taxotere
As we mentioned earlier, a lot of the common symptoms or side effects that come with chemotherapy are present in Taxotere. It is likely that chemo patients will experience nausea, vomiting, stomach disruption, pain, and a wide variety of other side effects. Many people inherently know going into chemotherapy that they will probably lose their hair.
The trouble with Taxotere is that doctors and pharmacists paint this as a temporary side effect. They do this because the pharmaceutical manufacturer of taxes here has long said this misinformation to the medical community. It’s now widely acknowledged that taxes here frequently result in lifelong alopecia.
Getting Help with Permanent Alopecia
If you experience negative side effects after Taxotere exposure then you should contact Rueb Stoller Daniel. Our law office works with the victims of pharmaceutical misinformation, false advertising, and issues with conveying information about negative side effects. Taxotere manufacturer’s long acknowledged that alopecia or hair loss was a temporary side effect. However, there are decades of reports of Taxotere causing lifelong alopecia.
The negative side effects that can come with Taxotere can impact people long after they’ve beaten cancer. It’s a struggle for many men and women as they face the world, seeing them as a cancer patient even years into remission. If you’re struggling with the negative side effects of Taxotere after Taxotere appeared in your chemotherapy cocktail then contact an attorney and take action.
