Taxol vs Taxotere

Jen_Mom

My mom was diagnosed stage I breast cancer. Estrogen positive, progesterone negative, Her2 positive. Her tumor was 8 mm. It has been a few weeks since her surgery and we are now visiting medical oncologists to start planning her chemo treatments. We've been told her tumor was very small considering she is Her2 positive, but they are still recommending chemo because of the nature of Her2 cells. We've been to three different doctors: 2 doctors have recommended Taxotere + Herceptin while another recommended Taxol + Herceptin (in fact, they were very much against Taxotere - they don't even use Taxotere in any of their treatment centers). Does anyone have any recommendations on which treatment we should go with and why our 3rd doctor was so against Taxotere?? 

Beach

Jen_Mom,

I have no experience with Taxol, but was put on Taxotere and had what my onc called a "severe toxic reaction" on cycles one and two.....third was cancelled because of this.  I started a thread called "Taxotere Beware" back in June/July, so reading this might give you a perspective on what can happen or at least what happened to me.  You can find this topic if you click on my name/avatar.  Best of luck to you and your mom.  Sending hugs....

((())) Sandy 

suzieq60

Taxol and taxotere are both taxanes. I doubt there is much difference although they do have different trade names.

 Here's a link to a web site that explains the chemo drugs that you might find helpful.

http://www.chemocare.com/BIO/index.asp

All I know is I've just had my first TCH treatment and I'm still sick after a week - it's horrible!!!

krcll

My onc said that Taxol given weekly is much easier to tolerate than Taxotere given every 3rd week. He said "I don't even know why someone would give Taxotere". I'm not saying that is the only way to look at it, just that it was his opinion. As I understand it, the effect is considered the same for the two and the decision for the one or the other has mostly to do with which one is best tolerated. There were studies that showed Taxol x 12 (weekly) and Taxotere x 4 (every 3rd week) are the most effective doses for each. Recently I have seen women having DD Taxol for 2 weeks and one week off (or something like that) but I don't know how that compares. I have heard that Taxotere is better for neuropathy, but have been unable to find any studies about it, and my onc said he hadn't heard that. In Norway, they don't use Taxotere very much, but it is preferred in some other countries (not sure where or why).

suzieq60

I think it depends on the treatment regimen you are being given. If you are on AC-TH then you have taxol weekly after the first four AC treatments. If you have TCH then you have taxotere every 3 weeks times 6. My oncologist said that they give AC-TH to node positive her2+ patients and TCH to node negative her2+ patients. Then again I'm in Oz so it could be different over here.

kartiae

There is a big difference with Taxol and Taxotere if you have had surgeries on your hands, arms and wrists. I had to go with Taxotere because of the nerve damage in my hands, arms and wrists, I had 7 surgeries on them. My Oncologist and I went over both and decided the Taxotere had a much less chance of me losing the use and felling in my hands, where a big side effect of the Taxol is  going after your hands. The taxotere did it's job and my hands are no worse off than they were before. She will be in my prayers.

God Bless,

Kartia