March 10, 2017 – San Diego, CA — French regulators are investigating the deaths of 5 women who took the chemotherapy drug docetaxel to treat breast cancer.
Docetaxel is the generic name of brand name Taxotere.
France’s National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) issued information about the deaths on its website and sent letters to the country’s oncologists last month.
In the letter, the agency said it had received information about six incidents of neutropenic enterocolitis in women treated with docetaxel for breast cancer. The women were all between the ages of 46 and 73 and five died as a result of their condition.
The incidents reportedly occurred between August 2016 and February 2017.
One day after ANSM sent its letter to oncologists, it issued another letter recommending docetaxel not be used to treat “localized, operable breast cancer.” The agency said paclitaxel is an alternative medicine on the market and should be used instead.
Docetaxel is indicated to treat other cancers other than breast cancer and the agency did not recommend doctors stop using docetaxel for those other indications.
ANSM said in its letter that the batches of docetaxel were immediately checked and found to be in compliance.
Neutropenic enterocolitis is a condition that affects the cecum, a pouch that connects the small and large intestines. The condition has typically been seen in children undergoing chemotherapy for leukemia, according to Medscape.
An abnormally low count of one type of white blood cell, a condition called neutropenia, appears to be the common denominator in the onset of neutropenic enterocolitis, Medscape indicates.
According to ANSM, neutropenia is the most common adverse reaction associated with docetaxel and Tatorere reported to the agency.
Taxotere and permanent hair loss
Taxotere has been associated with another, non-life-threatening condition known as permanent alopecia, or permanent hair loss. Some women who took Taxotere to treat breast cancer have reported suffering from permanent alopecia and have begun filing Taxotere Lawsuits against the maker of Taxotere, Sanofi, in the United States.
If you underwent chemotherapy treatment with Taxotere and suffered permanent hair loss as a result, you may be entitled to compensation.
The experienced Taxotere attorneys at Hood National Law Group are ready to hear your story and help you file a claim if you qualify.
Call Hood National Law Group today at 1-800-214-1010 for a free case evaluation or use the form on the right-hand side of the screen.
