Docetaxel News and Research

RSS

Docetaxel is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used alone or with other drugs to treat certain types of breast and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is also approved to be used with other drugs to treat squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and certain types of gastric and prostate cancer.

Docetaxel is a semi-synthetic, second-generation taxane derived from a compound found in the European yew tree Taxus baccata. Docetaxel displays potent and broad antineoplastic properties; it binds to and stabilizes tubulin, thereby inhibiting microtubule disassembly which results in cell- cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and cell death. This agent also inhibits pro-angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and displays immunomodulatory and pro-inflammatory properties by inducing various mediators of the inflammatory response. Docetaxel has been studied for use as a radiation-sensitizing agent.

Some cancer cells mimic stem cells to evade chemotherapy

Anti-cancer treatments often effectively shrink the size of tumors, but some might have an opposite effect, actually expanding the small population of cancer stem cells believed to drive the disease, according to findings presented in Atlanta, Georgia at the American Association for Cancer Research's second International Conference on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development.

20 Sep 2007

New algorithm matches any tumor cells to best possible anti-cancer treatments

Cancer patients don't have time to waste. Many go through several different treatments, however, to find one that is more effective against their particular type of tumor.

24 Jul 2007

Latest drugs improve survival for metastatic breast cancer

Newer drug therapies available since the 1990s, in particular aromatase inhibitors, improve the survival of women with metastatic breast cancer in the general population, according to a new study.

23 Jul 2007

Abiraterone reduces levels of prostate specific antigen

For prostate cancer patients whose tumors have continued to grow despite medical or surgical castration, a new drug candidate that inhibits production of male hormones anywhere in the body is showing promise in early trials.

9 Jul 2007

C-reactive protein identified as marker for prostate cancer survival

Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute researchers have identified a protein that is a strong indicator of survival for men with advanced prostate cancer.

3 Jun 2007

Oncolytic viruses deliver a knockout punch to cancers

New scientific evidence is helping to build a compelling case for oncolytic viruses as a first-line and adjunctive treatment for many cancers.

11 May 2007

Viventia Biotech announces results of Proxinium antibody in combinaton with chemotherapy and radiation

Viventia Biotech has announced results of in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies conducted to evaluate the potential for combining its phase III anti-cancer antibody therapeutic, Proxinium, with first-line standard of care therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head & neck (SCCHN).

19 Apr 2007

OncoGenex Technologies announces data from a Phase II clinical trial of OGX-011

The primary objective of this study was to assess the objective response rates (reduction in tumor size) when OGX-011 is combined with docetaxel in patients with metastatic or locally recurrent breast cancer.

18 Apr 2007

Cell Genesys reports data from clinical trials of GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer

Evaluation of antibody responses in patients with advanced prostate cancer from these studies shows that the GVAX cell-based immunotherapy induces antibody responses to a broad array of prostate cancer- associated antigens, including some not previously known to be associated with prostate cancer.

18 Apr 2007

New chemical agent, MCP110, provides synergistic effect to standard drugs

Integrating the use of drugs targeted to specific cancer proteins into current chemotherapy regimens to improve the efficacy of systemic treatment is an important clinical goal at Fox Chase Cancer Center.

16 Apr 2007

Scientists link treatment-induced growth factor to cancer spread

In advanced cancer, anti-tumor therapies often work only partially or not at all, and tumors progress following treatment.

7 Apr 2007

Inhaled Celecoxib shows new promise for lung cancer treatment

In recent years, Cycloxygenase (COX)-2 has emerged as a therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of various types of cancers.

6 Mar 2007

New understanding of how and why Taxol works in patients with breast cancer

Cancer researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have taken a step towards understanding how and why a widely used chemotherapy drug works in patients with breast cancer.

22 Feb 2007

FDA approves Taxotere for head and neck cancers

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Taxotere (docetaxel) Injection Concentrate for use in combination with cisplatin and fluorouracil prior to radiotherapy for the treatment of patients with inoperable, locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

18 Oct 2006

Txr1 gene that affects human cancer cells' sensitivity to chemotherapy

Gene that affects human cancer cells' sensitivity to chemotherapy - an important finding in the effort to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

6 Aug 2006

Few well performed studies address management of lymph node positive prostate cancer

Dr. Gregory Swanson and associates from the University of Texas, San Antonio Health Science Center reviews the data for various treatment options in patients with lymph node positive prostate cancer (CaP).

27 Jun 2006

Radionuclide therapy with chemotherapy effective in treating prostate cancer

A new treatment for prostate cancer may provide a distinct advantage over other conventional protocols and induce actual regression of the disease - not just relief from bone pain or a limited control of the disease.

9 Jun 2006

Advanced prostate cancer can be treated successfully with intermittent chemotherapy

Advanced prostate cancer can be treated successfully with intermittent chemotherapy, according to a study conducted by Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute scientists.

6 Jun 2006

Taxotere combined with standard chemotherapy improves survival in advanced head and neck cancers

The addition of docetaxel (Taxotere) to an initial chemotherapy regimen for inoperable head and neck cancers reduced mortality by nearly 30 percent over three years following treatment compared to the standard two-drug combination.

5 Jun 2006

HERA trial continues to demonstrate significant patient benefits from Herceptin

New 23-month follow-up data from HERA, one of the largest breast cancer trials ever carried out, show that Herceptin (trastuzumab) following standard chemotherapy significantly reduced the risk of death by 34% for women with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer.

5 Jun 2006