Abstract
Drug development in oncology has witnessed a revolutionary growth from its humble
beginning with nitrogen mustard in 1940 to immunotherapy in 1986 (Interferon alpha).
The arsenal of cytotoxics is ever increasing, contributing to better survival outcomes
and improved quality of life. Over the years, many cytotoxics have fallen out of favor
too, due to its side effects and availability of drugs with better efficacy and toxicity
profile. Taxane, a microtubule stabilizing agent extracted from the poisonous Yew
tree, was discovered in 1964 and came into clinical use in 1992 with its approval
for ovarian cancer. This group has grown into a cornerstone of many treatment protocols,
spanning multiple tumor types. This review discusses in brief the salient features
of cytotoxic agents in this drug group, its history, physico-chemical properties,
mechanism of action, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics. Though the benefits of
taxanes are well understood, there are unique problems associated with the use of
taxanes and there is an expanding literature on taxane resistance. We briefly look
at the resistance mechanisms. There have been significant efforts to circumvent the
problems related to conventional taxanes, with an attempt at creating newer carrier
molecules and adjunct drugs with taxanes, which is slowly gaining traction in clinical
practice.
Keywords Cabazitaxel - cremophor - diethylhexyl phthalate - docetaxel - paclitaxel - toxicity
