Hi All
Hope people are coping ok with their cancer and all that comes with this.
Following an Oncologist appt a week ago I was offered weekly Paclitaxel or 3 weekly Docetaxel I have no idea which one to have, unsure why I have an option as far off being an expert surely Oncologist should decide! My query is, is there any difference, has one worked more effectively than the other, are side effects the same?
Google seems to confirm Docetaxel is superior.
Any advice would be much appreciated thank you.
Love louise x
Hi Louise,
I had docetaxel. I was told if I didn’t tolerate the docetaxel I would be changed to paclitaxel. My understanding (happy to be corrected though!) is that the are both very similar in terms of efficacy but docetaxel is often not tolerated as well. So I think it’s a choice between slightly worse side effects but the pay off is only going in once every three weeks.
If it helps, I found docetaxel perfectly manageable and after dose dense AC, really appreciated the 3 weekly gap.
I hope that’s helpful!
Hi Louise
You’re right. You should have been given more guidance by the oncologist. I was told that the two are in the same family but paclitaxel is better tolerated if you are prone to side effects. On a practical level, a 3-weekly treatment sounds better than a weekly one. However, I think it can be misleading - with my capecitabine, I get a ‘week off’. In fact, that is my worst week as the chemo has accumulated and is now doing its business. That’s not a week off!!
I wonder if Ask Our Nurses or the helpline might clarify things and help you make a more informed choice.
Wishing you all the best,
Jan xx