Many cancer patients who have taken Taxotere have reported that the associated hair loss, which they expected to be temporary, is sometimes permanent.

What is Taxotere?

Taxotere is a type of chemotherapy drug often given to patients with breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and prostate cancer.

Taxotere works by damaging the supporting structure of cells and stiffening it so that the cells are unable to grow. This causes cancer cells to be unable to replicate.

The drug is given via an infusion into your vein, and treatment generally takes approximately one hour every three weeks. Although Taxotere is often an effective chemotherapy drug, it can also cause serious and permanent side effects, including hair loss.

Is Taxotere Hair Loss Permanent?

Hair loss from a chemotherapy drug is an extremely common side effect, as well as hair thinning, and changes in hair texture. This is due to the nature of these medications. Chemotherapy drugs work by interfering with the division and growth of rapidly growing cells.

However, these drugs are unable to distinguish between normal rapidly dividing cells and harmful cancer cells. This leads to the chemotherapy drugs affecting cells in the digestive tract, bone marrow cells, and hair follicles.

For many patients, Taxotere hair loss and other chemotherapy-related hair loss is temporary. However, some breast cancer patients have reported permanent hair changes or loss after taking Taxotere. According to studies conducted by the maker of Taxotere, Sanofi-Aventis, up to 9 percent of patients may experience permanent Taxotere hair loss.

Taxotere hair loss may affect hair all over your body, not exclusively the hair on your head. Taxotere may affect eyelashes, eyebrows, pubic hair, leg hair, facial hair, and more.

Women who have taken Taxotere as part of their breast cancer treatment plan and have suffered from permanent hair loss have also reported significant psychological and emotional side effects. Women who have permanently lost their hair after taking Taxotere may be more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, embarrassment, and worries about their appearance.

According to an Oklahoma News 9 station, one patient whose hair never grew back after her Taxotere treatments, the baldness feels like a constant reminder of her cancer. Despite being in remission for several years, she says, “I look like I have cancer.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are several factors that affect whether or not you are likely to suffer from Taxotere-related hair loss, including:

• Your Taxotere dose level
• How often you receive the treatment
• The way the treatment is administered
• Whether Taxotere is taken in combination with any other drugs
• Your individual DNA makeup

Other possible side effects of Taxotere include low blood cell count, which may lead to an increased risk of infections, fever, allergic reaction, fluid retention, gastrointestinal problems, fatigue, muscle pain, and changes to the eyes, skin, or nails.

If you have taken Taxotere as part of a chemotherapy treatment plan and have suffered from permanent hair loss, you may be eligible to hire an attorney and pursue compensation.