Mesenteric venous thrombosis attributed to docetaxel

We present a case of a 57-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer unresponsive to several chemotherapeutic and hormonal regimens. Because of progressive pulmonary metastases and a painful osteolytic metastasis in the sternum, treatment with docetaxel was initiated. She developed mesenteric venous thrombosis within 1 week after the first dose of docetaxel. Although docetaxel may be regarded as an important advancement in the chemotherapeutic treatment of several cancers, ongoing and future trials must assess its position in the standard chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer. Well-documented adverse reactions, either common or rare, may contribute to a balanced risk-benefit profile of docetaxel.