Docetaxel (taxotere) in the treatment of prostate cancer

Docetaxel (Taxotere) is a taxoid derived from the needles of the European yew tree, Taxus baccata. With an overall prostate-specific antigen response rate of 42% in four Phase II studies, docetaxel has important single-agent activity in androgen-independent prostate cancer. Phase II studies suggest that the addition of estramustine (Emcyt) to docetaxel results in higher response rates but also increased toxicity. Docetaxel with and without estramustine is being evaluated in Phase III studies that will provide definitive information about its role in androgen-independent prostate cancer. Novel combinations of docetaxel with biologic response modifiers are in early stages of development. Similarly, a number of investigators are conducting exploratory trials that incorporate docetaxel into multimodality approaches to high-risk localized prostate cancer treatment.