Women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer face the prospect of hair loss and eventual regrowth. The length of time required for hair growth after chemo depends much on the type of drugs used.

However, one drug, Taxotere, has been associated with a few cases of permanent or prolonged hair loss after chemotherapy treatment.

Taxotere is a brand name for a drug known generically as docetaxel. It may be used on its own or in combination with other chemo drugs. It’s one of a class of chemotherapy drugs called taxanes that work by inhibiting the division of cancer cells.

Taxotere comes in liquid form and is administered using an intravenous injection. The injection may use a short, thin tube inserted into a vein in the arm, or it may use any of a few different techniques that use a longer tube inserted into a large vein in the chest. Treatment sessions generally last an hour at a time and are typically spaced one to three weeks apart.

Typically, Taxotere is used as part of a multi-drug chemotherapy regimen administered following surgery. It’s generally used to treat more advanced cases of breast cancer that has not responded to other drugs or that has spread to other parts of the body.

Taxotere is a fairly common choice for breast cancer treatment, being prescribed to about 75 percent of women who undergo chemo for breast cancer.

Nearly eight out of every ten patients treated with Taxotere experience hair loss. The loss begins about two weeks after the start of chemo. Usually the loss is complete – the patient loses all hair from her head, all body hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Treatment with a cold cap may slow the loss by keeping the scalp cool.

How Long Does Hair Growth After Chemo Take?

With most chemo drugs, hair growth after chemo resumes within a few weeks after the treatment ends. But in some cases, hair loss following Taxotere treatment has been prolonged or even permanent.

Studies by the drug’s manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis show that about three percent of patients who were given Taxotere in combination with other drugs experienced persistent hair loss, known clinically as alopecia.

Some women who suffered permanent hair loss say they were not adequately warned that chemo with Taxotere could result in permanent hair loss. Many women say the lack of hair growth after chemo has left them permanently disfigured, continuing to look sick long after their cancer treatment has ended.

Women undergoing chemo for breast cancer may have a choice of medications. One alternative medication, Taxol, requires more treatment cycles but presents a much smaller risk of permanent hair loss. Some women say that knowing the risks of Taxotere side effects would have made a difference in how they selected their chemo drugs.

New Taxotere Lawsuit

One patient who never resumed hair growth after chemo has initiated a Taxotere lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturer. Plaintiff Ami D. says Sanofi-Aventis purposely concealed information about Taxotere side effects like hair loss. She also believes Sanofi-Aventis purposely kept the public in the dark about the drug’s higher toxicity as compared to similar drugs.

At the same time, Ami says, Sanofi-Aventis aggressively marketed Taxotere, driving annual sales into the billions. Her Taxotere lawsuit says had she been properly warned that she might not resume hair growth after chemo, she would not have consented to chemotherapy with Taxotere.

If you or a loved one was administered the intravenous chemotherapy drug Taxotere and suffered permanent hair loss, you may be eligible to file a Taxotere lawsuit.  An experienced drug injury attorney can provide you with a free consultation and advise you if pursuing litigation is the right course of action to obtain compensation for your suffering and injury.