Numerous women across America who have undergone Taxotere chemotherapy for breast cancer say they have developed permanent alopecia.

Also known as permanent hair loss, permanent alopecia is a rare side effect for chemotherapy medications, according to Medical News Today. However, women who were treated with Taxotere say they were never warned of this potential side effect.

This alleged correlation has already spurred litigation from patients, forming  multidistrict litigation (MDL). One of the most recent lawsuits was filed by a woman from Texas, who was prescribed Taxotere chemotherapy for breast cancer.

According to her lawsuit, plaintiff Michelle M. underwent Taxotere chemotherapy treatment between July 2011 and November 2011 and developed serious permanent damages during this time. More specifically, Michelle says she experienced significant hair loss has been unable to regrow it.

Michelle opted to file legal action, after discovering other patients had similar experiences with hair loss after starting Taxotere chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer.

Overview of Permanent Hair Loss and Taxotere Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Taxotere (docetaxel) has been on the market since the mid 1990s, and was originally approved to treat breast cancer.

While it has since been approved to treat other cancer variants, it remains one of the most popular drugs for breast cancer treatment in the United States. So its recent association with permanent alopecia is quite troubling, especially for the patients looking forward to growing their hair back after treatment.

Like other cancer treatment drugs, Taxotere works by attacking rapidly reproducing cells on a systemic wide treatment sweep. According to the Mayo Clinic, this means that hair follicles are often the first groups of cells to be targeted, which causes hair loss. While hair loss is a common chemotherapy side effect, permanent alopecia is rare and can be emotionally devastating for patients.

There have been several recent studies linking Taxotere and alopecia, with the FDA eventually issuing a label change in December 2015. One of these recent studies, published in the American Journal of Dermapathology, concluded that “increased evidence certain chemotherapy regimens can cause dose-dependant permanent alopecia, including docetaxel for breast cancer.”

Even though the Taxotere warning label now has a permanent alopecia warning statement, this was not the case for many years. It has been alleged that Sanofi Aventis knew about this problem because the risk was included on European warning labels.

Michelle’s Taxotere lawsuit points out that she and her oncologist had relied on the drug information provided by the company, which allegedly failed to mention permanent alopecia as a potential side effect.

At all times relevant, Michelle and her oncologist relied on Taxotere marketing materials presented at the time. Overall, allges the complaint, there was no way Michelle could have known about the risk of permanent alopecia before the FDA issued this label change.

Michelle’s Taxotere lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2740, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging similar cases of permanent alopecia.

This Taxotere Lawsuit is Case No. 4:19-cv-00242, in the U.S. District Court of Southern Texas.