Hemorrhagic cystitis in a patient receiving docetaxel for prostate cancer

A case is reported in which docetaxel was used to treat a patient with hormone refractory metastatic prostate cancer. The treatment was terminated at the third course of docetaxel following the development of hemorrhagic cystitis. This reaction was unexpected, as it is not a known reaction to docetaxel. Hemorrhagic cystitis has been associated with cyclophosphamide, where the metabolite acrolein has been implicated. The mechanism of this reaction from docetaxel is not yet known.