Docetaxel (Intravenous Route)

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Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Some side effects will have signs or symptoms that you can see or feel. Your doctor may watch for others by doing certain tests.

Also, because of the way these medicines act on the body, there is a chance that they might cause other unwanted effects that may not occur until months or years after the medicine is used. These delayed effects may include certain types of cancer. Discuss these possible effects with your doctor.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Black, tarry stools
• Blood in urine or stools
• Cough or hoarseness (accompanied by fever or chills)
• Difficult or labored breathing
• Difficult or painful urination (accompanied by fever or chills)
• Difficulty swallowing
• Dizziness
• Fast heartbeat
• Fever or chills
• Heart problems
• Hives
• Itching, puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• Lower back or side pain (accompanied by fever or chills)
• Noisy, rattling breathing
• Pinpoint red spots on skin
• Shortness of breath
• Skin rash
• Tightness in chest
• Troubled breathing while at rest
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Wheezing

• Chest pain or discomfort
• Fast or irregular heartbeat
• Shortness of breath

Docetaxel sometimes causes allergic reactions, especially during the first few treatments. Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you notice back pain or itching during an injection. Your doctor or nurse will be watching out for other signs of an allergic reaction while you are receiving this medicine, and will be ready to treat any serious effects right away.

A kind of leukemia called acute myeloid leukemia [AML] can occur if you are taking a combination of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide to treat your breast cancer. Tell your doctor right away if you develop a lot of infections, experience bone or joint pain, or have a fever.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

• Swelling of abdomen, face, fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Weight gain

• Red, scaly, swollen, or peeling areas of skin (severe)

• Decrease in blood pressure, sometimes with dizziness or fainting
• Increase in blood pressure, sometimes with dizziness or headaches

This medicine may also cause the following side effects that your doctor will watch out for:

• Anemia
• Low white blood cell count

• High or low blood pressure
• Low platelet count in blood

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Burning, numbness, tingling, or pain in arms, hands, legs, or feet
• Congestion
• Diarrhea
• Dryness or soreness of throat
• Nausea
• Skin rash or redness (mild)
• Sores or ulcers on the lips or tongue or inside the mouth
• Weakness in arms, hands, legs, or feet

• Bloody nose
• Body aches or pain
• Change in color of fingernails or toenails
• Congestion
• Dry, red, hot, or irritated skin at place of injection
• Headache
• Hoarseness
• Loosening or loss of fingernails or toenails, sometimes painful
• Pain in joints or muscles
• Pain, swelling, or lump under the skin at place of injection
• Runny nose
• Tender, swollen glands in neck
• Trouble in swallowing
• Voice changes
• Vomiting

• Burning, dry or itching eyes
• Burning upper abdominal pain
• Confusion
• Difficulty having a bowel movement [stool]
• Discharge from eyes
• Excessive tearing
• Mood or mental changes
• Pain all over body
• Pain and redness of skin at place of earlier radiation treatment
• Rapid breathing
• Redness, pain, swelling of eye, eyelid, or inner lining of eyelid
• Stomach pain
• Sunken eyes
• Tearing of the eyes
• Wrinkled skin

This medicine usually causes a temporary loss of hair. After treatment with docetaxel has ended, normal hair growth should return.

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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