Taxotere Dosage

Generic name: DOCETAXEL 20mg in 1mL
Dosage form: injection, solution, concentrate
Drug class: Mitotic inhibitors

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Dec 22, 2023.

For all indications, toxicities may warrant dosage adjustments.

Administer in a facility equipped to manage possible complications (e.g. anaphylaxis).

Breast Cancer

For locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer after failure of prior chemotherapy, the recommended dose of TAXOTERE is 60 mg/m2 to 100 mg/m2 administered intravenously over 1 hour every 3 weeks.
For the adjuvant treatment of operable node-positive breast cancer, the recommended TAXOTERE dose is 75 mg/m2 administered 1 hour after doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 every 3 weeks for 6 courses. Prophylactic G-CSF may be used to mitigate the risk of hematological toxicities.

Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

For treatment after failure of prior platinum-based chemotherapy, TAXOTERE was evaluated as monotherapy, and the recommended dose is 75 mg/m2 administered intravenously over 1 hour every 3 weeks. A dose of 100 mg/m2 in patients previously treated with chemotherapy was associated with increased hematologic toxicity, infection, and treatment-related mortality in randomized controlled trials.
For chemotherapy-naive patients, TAXOTERE was evaluated in combination with cisplatin. The recommended dose of TAXOTERE is 75 mg/m2 administered intravenously over 1 hour immediately followed by cisplatin 75 mg/m2 over 30–60 minutes every 3 weeks.

Prostate Cancer

For metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, the recommended dose of TAXOTERE is 75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks as a 1-hour intravenous infusion. Prednisone 5 mg orally twice daily is administered continuously.

Gastric Adenocarcinoma

For gastric adenocarcinoma, the recommended dose of TAXOTERE is 75 mg/m2 as a 1-hour intravenous infusion, followed by cisplatin 75 mg/m2, as a 1 to 3 hour intravenous infusion (both on day 1 only), followed by fluorouracil 750 mg/m2 per day given as a 24-hour continuous intravenous infusion for 5 days, starting at the end of the cisplatin infusion. Treatment is repeated every three weeks. Patients must receive premedication with antiemetics and appropriate hydration for cisplatin administration.

Head and Neck Cancer

Patients must receive premedication with antiemetics, and appropriate hydration (prior to and after cisplatin administration). Prophylaxis for neutropenic infections should be administered. All patients treated on the TAXOTERE containing arms of the TAX323 and TAX324 studies received prophylactic antibiotics.

Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Radiotherapy (TAX323)

For the induction treatment of locally advanced inoperable SCCHN, the recommended dose of TAXOTERE is 75 mg/m2 as a 1-hour intravenous infusion followed by cisplatin 75 mg/m2 intravenously over 1 hour, on day one, followed by fluorouracil as a continuous intravenous infusion at 750 mg/m2 per day for five days. This regimen is administered every 3 weeks for 4 cycles. Following chemotherapy, patients should receive radiotherapy.

Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Chemoradiotherapy (TAX324)

For the induction treatment of patients with locally advanced (unresectable, low surgical cure, or organ preservation) SCCHN, the recommended dose of TAXOTERE is 75 mg/m2 as a 1-hour intravenous infusion on day 1, followed by cisplatin 100 mg/m2 administered as a 30-minute to 3 hour infusion, followed by fluorouracil 1000 mg/m2/day as a continuous infusion from day 1 to day 4. This regimen is administered every 3 weeks for 3 cycles. Following chemotherapy, patients should receive chemoradiotherapy.

Premedication Regimen

All patients should be premedicated with oral corticosteroids (see below for prostate cancer) such as dexamethasone 16 mg per day (e.g., 8 mg twice daily) for 3 days starting 1 day prior to TAXOTERE administration in order to reduce the incidence and severity of fluid retention as well as the severity of hypersensitivity reactions.

For metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, given the concurrent use of prednisone, the recommended premedication regimen is oral dexamethasone 8 mg at 12 hours, 3 hours, and 1 hour before the TAXOTERE infusion.

Dosage Adjustments during Treatment

Breast Cancer

Patients who are dosed initially at 100 mg/m2 and who experience either febrile neutropenia, neutrophils <500 cells/mm3 for more than 1 week, or severe or cumulative cutaneous reactions during TAXOTERE therapy should have the dosage adjusted from 100 mg/m2 to 75 mg/m2. If the patient continues to experience these reactions, the dosage should either be decreased from 75 mg/m2 to 55 mg/m2 or the treatment should be discontinued. Conversely, patients who are dosed initially at 60 mg/m2 and who do not experience febrile neutropenia, neutrophils <500 cells/mm3 for more than 1 week, severe or cumulative cutaneous reactions, or severe peripheral neuropathy during TAXOTERE therapy may tolerate higher doses. Patients who develop ≥grade 3 peripheral neuropathy should have TAXOTERE treatment discontinued entirely.

Combination Therapy with TAXOTERE in the Adjuvant Treatment of Breast Cancer

TAXOTERE in combination with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide should be administered when the neutrophil count is ≥1,500 cells/mm3. Patients who experience febrile neutropenia should receive G-CSF in all subsequent cycles. Patients who continue to experience this reaction should remain on G-CSF and have their TAXOTERE dose reduced to 60 mg/m2. Patients who experience grade 3 or 4 stomatitis should have their TAXOTERE dose decreased to 60 mg/m2. Patients who experience severe or cumulative cutaneous reactions or moderate neurosensory signs and/or symptoms during TAXOTERE therapy should have their dosage of TAXOTERE reduced from 75 mg/m2 to 60 mg/m2. If the patient continues to experience these reactions at 60 mg/m2, treatment should be discontinued.

Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Monotherapy with TAXOTERE for NSCLC treatment after failure of prior platinum-based chemotherapy

Patients who are dosed initially at 75 mg/m2 and who experience either febrile neutropenia, neutrophils <500 cells/mm3 for more than one week, severe or cumulative cutaneous reactions, or other grade 3/4 non-hematological toxicities during TAXOTERE treatment should have treatment withheld until resolution of the toxicity and then resumed at 55 mg/m2. Patients who develop ≥grade 3 peripheral neuropathy should have TAXOTERE treatment discontinued entirely.

Combination therapy with TAXOTERE for chemotherapy-naive NSCLC

For patients who are dosed initially at TAXOTERE 75 mg/m2 in combination with cisplatin, and whose nadir of platelet count during the previous course of therapy is <25,000 cells/mm3, in patients who experience febrile neutropenia, and in patients with serious non-hematologic toxicities, the TAXOTERE dosage in subsequent cycles should be reduced to 65 mg/m2. In patients who require a further dose reduction, a dose of 50 mg/m2 is recommended. For cisplatin dosage adjustments, see manufacturers' prescribing information.

Prostate Cancer

Combination therapy with TAXOTERE for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

TAXOTERE should be administered when the neutrophil count is ≥1,500 cells/mm3. Patients who experience either febrile neutropenia, neutrophils <500 cells/mm3 for more than one week, severe or cumulative cutaneous reactions or moderate neurosensory signs and/or symptoms during TAXOTERE therapy should have the dosage of TAXOTERE reduced from 75 mg/m2 to 60 mg/m2. If the patient continues to experience these reactions at 60 mg/m2, the treatment should be discontinued.

Gastric or Head and Neck Cancer

TAXOTERE in combination with cisplatin and fluorouracil in gastric cancer or head and neck cancer

Patients treated with TAXOTERE in combination with cisplatin and fluorouracil must receive antiemetics and appropriate hydration according to current institutional guidelines. In both studies, G-CSF was recommended during the second and/or subsequent cycles in case of febrile neutropenia, or documented infection with neutropenia, or neutropenia lasting more than 7 days. If an episode of febrile neutropenia, prolonged neutropenia or neutropenic infection occurs despite G-CSF use, the TAXOTERE dose should be reduced from 75 mg/m2 to 60 mg/m2. If subsequent episodes of complicated neutropenia occur the TAXOTERE dose should be reduced from 60 mg/m2 to 45 mg/m2. In case of grade 4 thrombocytopenia the TAXOTERE dose should be reduced from 75 mg/m2 to 60 mg/m2. Do not retreat patients with subsequent cycles of TAXOTERE until neutrophils recover to a level >1,500 cells/mm3. Avoid retreating patients until platelets recover to a level >100,000 cells/mm3. Discontinue treatment if these toxicities persist.

Recommended dose modifications for toxicities in patients treated with TAXOTERE in combination with cisplatin and fluorouracil are shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Recommended Dose Modifications for Toxicities in Patients Treated with TAXOTERE in Combination with Cisplatin and Fluorouracil
Toxicity	Dosage adjustment
Diarrhea grade 3	First episode: reduce fluorouracil dose by 20%. Second episode: then reduce TAXOTERE dose by 20%.
Diarrhea grade 4	First episode: reduce TAXOTERE and fluorouracil doses by 20%. Second episode: discontinue treatment.
Stomatitis/mucositis grade 3	First episode: reduce fluorouracil dose by 20%. Second episode: stop fluorouracil only, at all subsequent cycles. Third episode: reduce TAXOTERE dose by 20%.
Stomatitis/mucositis grade 4	First episode: stop fluorouracil only, at all subsequent cycles. Second episode: reduce TAXOTERE dose by 20%.

Liver dysfunction: In case of AST/ALT >2.5 to ≤5 × ULN and AP ≤2.5 × ULN, or AST/ALT >1.5 to ≤5 × ULN and AP >2.5 to ≤5 × ULN, TAXOTERE should be reduced by 20%.

In case of AST/ALT >5 × ULN and/or AP >5 × ULN TAXOTERE should be stopped.

The dose modifications for cisplatin and fluorouracil in the gastric cancer study are provided below.

Cisplatin dose modifications and delays

Peripheral neuropathy: A neurological examination should be performed before entry into the study, and then at least every 2 cycles and at the end of treatment. In the case of neurological signs or symptoms, more frequent examinations should be performed and the following dose modifications can be made according to NCI-CTCAE grade:

Grade 2: Reduce cisplatin dose by 20%.
Grade 3: Discontinue treatment.

Ototoxicity: In the case of grade 3 toxicity, discontinue treatment.

Nephrotoxicity: In the event of a rise in serum creatinine ≥grade 2 (>1.5 × normal value) despite adequate rehydration, CrCl should be determined before each subsequent cycle and the following dose reductions should be considered (see Table 2).

For other cisplatin dosage adjustments, also refer to the manufacturers' prescribing information.

Table 2: Dose Reductions for Evaluation of Creatinine Clearance
Creatinine clearance result before next cycle	Cisplatin dose next cycle
CrCl = Creatinine clearance
CrCl ≥60 mL/min	Full dose of cisplatin was given. CrCl was to be repeated before each treatment cycle.
CrCl between 40 and 59 mL/min	Dose of cisplatin was reduced by 50% at subsequent cycle. If CrCl was >60 mL/min at end of cycle, full cisplatin dose was reinstituted at the next cycle. If no recovery was observed, then cisplatin was omitted from the next treatment cycle.
CrCl <40 mL/min	Dose of cisplatin was omitted in that treatment cycle only. If CrCl was still <40 mL/min at the end of cycle, cisplatin was discontinued. If CrCl was >40 and <60 mL/min at end of cycle, a 50% cisplatin dose was given at the next cycle. If CrCl was >60 mL/min at end of cycle, full cisplatin dose was given at next cycle.

Fluorouracil dose modifications and treatment delays

For diarrhea and stomatitis, see Table 1.

In the event of grade 2 or greater plantar-palmar toxicity, fluorouracil should be stopped until recovery. The fluorouracil dosage should be reduced by 20%.

For other greater than grade 3 toxicities, except alopecia and anemia, chemotherapy should be delayed (for a maximum of 2 weeks from the planned date of infusion) until resolution to grade ≤1 and then recommenced, if medically appropriate.

For other fluorouracil dosage adjustments, also refer to the manufacturers' prescribing information.

Combination Therapy with Strong CYP3A4 Inhibitors

Avoid using concomitant strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, atazanavir, indinavir, nefazodone, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, telithromycin and voriconazole). There are no clinical data with a dose adjustment in patients receiving strong CYP3A4 inhibitors. Based on extrapolation from a pharmacokinetic study with ketoconazole in 7 patients, consider a 50% docetaxel dose reduction if patients require coadministration of a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor.

Administration Precautions

TAXOTERE is a cytotoxic anticancer drug and, as with other potentially toxic compounds, caution should be exercised when handling and preparing TAXOTERE solutions. The use of gloves is recommended.

If TAXOTERE Injection initial diluted solution, or final dilution for infusion should come into contact with the skin, immediately and thoroughly wash with soap and water. If TAXOTERE Injection initial diluted solution, or final dilution for infusion should come into contact with mucosa, immediately and thoroughly wash with water.

Contact of the TAXOTERE with plasticized PVC equipment or devices used to prepare solutions for infusion is not recommended. In order to minimize patient exposure to the plasticizer DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate), which may be leached from PVC infusion bags or sets, the final TAXOTERE dilution for infusion should be stored in bottles (glass, polypropylene) or plastic bags (polypropylene, polyolefin) and administered through polyethylene-lined administration sets.

One-vial TAXOTERE (Injection)

TAXOTERE Injection requires NO prior dilution with a diluent and is ready to add to the infusion solution.

Please follow the preparation instructions provided below.

Preparation and Administration

DO NOT use the two-vial formulation (Injection and diluent) with the one-vial formulation.

One-vial TAXOTERE (Injection)

TAXOTERE Injection (20 mg/mL) requires NO prior dilution with a diluent and is ready to add to the infusion solution. Use only a 21-gauge needle to withdraw TAXOTERE from the vial because larger bore needles (e.g., 18 and 19 gauge) may result in stopper coring and rubber particulates.

TAXOTERE vials should be stored between 2°C and 25°C (36°F and 77°F). If the vials are stored under refrigeration, allow the appropriate number of vials of TAXOTERE Injection vials to stand at room temperature for approximately 5 minutes before use.
Using only a 21-gauge needle, aseptically withdraw the required amount of TAXOTERE injection (20 mg docetaxel/mL) with a calibrated syringe and inject via a single injection (one shot) into a 250 mL infusion bag or bottle of either 0.9% Sodium Chloride solution or 5% Dextrose solution to produce a final concentration of 0.3 mg/mL to 0.74 mg/mL.
If a dose greater than 200 mg of TAXOTERE is required, use a larger volume of the infusion vehicle so that a concentration of 0.74 mg/mL TAXOTERE is not exceeded.
Thoroughly mix the infusion by gentle manual rotation.
As with all parenteral products, TAXOTERE should be inspected visually for particulate matter or discoloration prior to administration whenever the solution and container permit. If the TAXOTERE dilution for intravenous infusion is not clear or appears to have precipitation, it should be discarded.
TAXOTERE infusion solution is supersaturated, therefore may crystallize over time. If crystals appear, the solution must no longer be used and shall be discarded.

The TAXOTERE dilution for infusion should be administered intravenously as a 1-hour infusion under ambient room temperature (below 25°C) and lighting conditions.

Stability

TAXOTERE final dilution for infusion, if stored between 2°C and 25°C (36°F and 77°F) is stable for 6 hours. TAXOTERE final dilution for infusion (in either 0.9% Sodium Chloride solution or 5% Dextrose solution) should be used within 6 hours (including the 1-hour intravenous administration).

In addition, physical and chemical in-use stability of the infusion solution prepared as recommended has been demonstrated in non-PVC bags up to 48 hours when stored between 2°C and 8°C (36°F and 46°F).