The effect of docetaxel on developing oedema in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review

Abstract

Docetaxel is extensively used in chemotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer. Little attention has been given to oedema as a possible side effect of docetaxel-containing therapies. Until now, no review was conducted to evaluate docetaxel-containing therapies versus docetaxel-free therapies on the magnitude of the risk of developing oedema. In this systematic review, we investigated the risk of developing oedema in patients being treated for breast cancer with or without docetaxel. In this systematic literature review, we searched PubMed and Web of Knowledge for studies on breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy containing docetaxel. We included clinical trials comparing docetaxel versus docetaxel-free chemotherapy. Oedema had to be reported and measured as a key outcome or an adverse effect. Methodological checklists were used to assess the risk of bias within the selected studies. Seven randomised clinical trials were included. Six trials were of moderate methodological quality. All trials showed an increased rate of oedema in the docetaxel-treatment arm. The trial of weakest methodological quality reported the highest incidence of oedema. The results moderately suggest that adjuvant chemotherapy containing docetaxel is related to a significantly increased risk of developing oedema, compared with docetaxel-free chemotherapy.

Drug‐induced peripheral oedema: An aetiology‐based review

“…In most situations, several mechanisms may occur and contribute synergistically to oedema genesis. In addition to aggressive fluid resuscitation and preparation T A B L E 1 Causes of peripheral edema 10,12 Mechanism Cause Force involved Increased capillary permeability (as these drugs are responsible for capillary leak syndrome) Taxanes: 38,39 docetaxel, paclitaxel -increased capillary permeability 38,39 -lymphedema 40,41 through antilymphangiogenic effects of VEGFR-3/VEGFC pathway inhibition 40 -heart failure 4 Protein kinase inhibitors ALK: 42…”

A Multifunctional Nanotherapy for Targeted Treatment of Colon Cancer by Simultaneously Regulating Tumor Microenvironment

“…In addition to surgery, chemotherapeutic drugs, such as oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and irinotecan, are frequently used in first-line treatment of CRC 4. However, systemic administration of chemotherapeutic drugs generally leads to dose-limiting toxicity in non-target tissues and organs 5, 6, while treatment by the most preferable and acceptable route of oral delivery more often results in unsatisfactory bioavailability and serious side effects, such as mucositis, edema, and diarrhea 7-9.…”

Changes in volume and incidence of lymphedema during and after treatment with docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (TAC) in patients with breast cancer

“…In relation to their study, the prevalence of lymphedema at the endpoint in our study is higher. This could be the effect of the adjuvant treatment with TAC as suggested in a recent study indicating docetaxel as important risk factor for onset of lymphedema, with a chance of developing lymphedema being 4.8 times higher when compared to other treatment regimens [ 10 ] and reported in earlier studies as well [ 7 – 9 , 11 – 14 ]. Compared to our study, earlier studies on TAC as a risk factor for lymphedema reported a higher prevalence of lymphedema over two or more years after treatment with TAC with 33.5% [ 12 ], 42.2% [ 14 ], and 32% after treatment, declining to 23% at 6 months [ 13 ].…”