Rob Dillard

DocwireNews

Docetaxel, a common chemotherapy drug, may be less effective for obese or overweight women, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.In this study, researchers analyzed data from a clinical trial comprising over 2,800 breast cancer patients that started treatment around the turn of the millennium. The researchers collated data over 10 years, and subjects were treated with combination of chemotherapy drugs with or without docetaxel.According to the results, overweight and obese patients who received docetaxel as part of their treatment experienced worse outcomes than thinner patients (BMI between 18.5 and 25 kg/m2). This difference was not observed in patients who received the chemotherapy regimen that did not include docetaxel. &ldquo;Docetaxel is a lipophilic drug, suggesting that fat present in the body could absorb part of the drug before it can reach the tumor,&rdquo; explains Professor Christine Desmedt from the KU Leuven Laboratory for Translational Breast Cancer Research in a <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-07/kl-pcd070220.php">press release.</a>&ldquo;If follow-up research confirms that this finding is solely related to the pharmacological characteristics of docetaxel, this might also apply to patients with other cancer types that are treated with docetaxel, such as prostate or lung cancer. These results also make us wonder whether other chemotherapy drugs from the same family, like paclitaxel, will show the same effect.&rdquo;&ldquo;More research is needed before changes in treatment can be implemented. Patients who have concerns about docetaxel can discuss these with their doctor,&rdquo; explains Professor Desmedt. &ldquo;In general, the public needs to be better informed about the link between BMI and breast cancer.&rdquo;https://twitter.com/thedextazlab/status/1278786393213460484&ldquo;In the medical and research world, we need to pay more attention to how obesity affects the biology, progression and treatment efficacy of breast cancer,&rdquo; says Professor Biganzoli of the Unit of Medical Statistics and the Data Science Research Center, University of Milan and the Italian National Cancer Institute. &ldquo;Much work remains to be done in this field.&rdquo;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Interesting <a href="https://t.co/9Tc2bDwc76">https://t.co/9Tc2bDwc76</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/docetaxel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@docetaxel</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/chemotherapy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#chemotherapy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/breastcancer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#breastcancer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bccww?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bccww</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcsm?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bcsm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DYK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DYK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cancer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cancer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FindACure?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FindACure</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Awareness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Awareness</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EndCancer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EndCancer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tumor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tumor</a> 
Popular chemotherapy drug may be less effective in overweight and obese women.
&mdash; unsocial truth (@knitz22) <a href="https://twitter.com/knitz22/status/1278822906261209089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2020</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bradley Marder, MD

Joel M. Topf, MD, FACP

Gout Studies: Transplant Waitlisting and Bone Erosion

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings 2025

Jayme Locke, MD, MPH

The Promise of Xenotransplantation

Leah Lawrence

Real-World Data Backs Invasive DFS as Surrogate Endpoint for OS in EBC

HR Breast Cancer

Latest News

Common Chemotherapy Drug Less Effective for Overweight and Obese Individuals

Oncology

Docetaxel, a common chemotherapy drug, may be less effective for obese or overweight women, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. ...

About Us

Editorial Policy

Advertising

Contact Us

eNewsletters

Contribute

Career Center

MashupMD

Blood Cancers Today

Cancer Nursing Today

GU Oncology Now

Urban Health Today

Bile Duct Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Gastroesophageal Cancer

Gastric Cancer

GEP-NETs

GIST

Liver Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

GI Oncology Now

Anemia

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Essential Thrombocythemia

Hemophilia

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelofibrosis

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Polycythemia Vera

Pulmonary Embolism

Sickle Cell Disease

Thrombocytopenia

Thrombophilia

Thrombosis

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Venous Thromboembolism

von Willebrand Disease

Heme Today

Acute Kidney Injury

ADPKD

Anemia and Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease

COVID-19 and Kidney Disease

Diabetes and Hypertension

End-Stage Renal Disease

Gout

Hyperkalemia

IgAN

Kidney Transplantation

Metabolic Acidosis

Nephrology Times

HER2 Breast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Genetics & Breast Cancer

Breast Cancers Today

Atherosclerotic Disease

Atrial Fibrillation

Heart Failure

Hypertension

Interventional Cardiology

Lipid Management

Practice Tips With Dr. Lichaa

Preventive Cardiology

Stroke

Cardiology

Breast Cancer

Gynecologic Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer

Skin Cancer

Sleep

Urology

Diabetes

Ophthalmology

— Demodex Blepharitis

Neurology

Rheumatology

Gastroenterology

Pulmonology

Infectious Diseases

— HIV

Health and Wellness

Lupus

Future of Medicine

Orthopedics

Pharmacology

Career News

More

Conferences

CardioNerds

The Sleep Source With Dr. Morse

Rheumatology Rounds With Dr. Maheswaranathan

Partners

Expert Interviews

Subscribe