docetaxel

Overview

Docetaxel is a chemotherapeutic agent belonging to the taxane family, primarily used in the treatment of various malignancies, including breast, lung, and prostate cancers. It functions by inhibiting microtubule depolymerization, thereby disrupting the normal mitotic spindle formation during cell division, which ultimately leads to apoptosis in rapidly dividing cancer cells. Its efficacy has made it a cornerstone in cancer therapy, particularly in combination with other treatments such as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and immunotherapy.

Focus of Latest Publications

Recent studies have explored the role of docetaxel in various cancer treatment regimens, highlighting its significance in both monotherapy and combination therapies. For instance, a study published in Cancer Biology & Therapy (PMID: 42189063) demonstrated that suppression of long non-coding RNA AC008406.3 sensitizes breast cancer cells to docetaxel by triggering cuproptosis, indicating a novel mechanism to enhance the drug's efficacy in breast cancer.

In the context of lung cancer, a study in Medical Decision Making (PMID: 42037076) utilized a regression discontinuity in time (RDiT) design to compare the effectiveness of second-line pembrolizumab versus docetaxel for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (aNSCLC), emphasizing the need for real-world evidence in treatment decision-making. Similarly, a comparative analysis in Current Medical Research and Opinion (PMID: 42258330) assessed docetaxel against androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) as first-line treatments for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), revealing that both strategies are established but lack direct randomized trials for comparison.

The ARASENS trial (PMID: 41967349) further illustrated the potential of combining docetaxel with darolutamide and ADT, showing a significant reduction in mortality risk among patients with mHSPC. Additionally, a study published in Cancer (PMID: 42175549) evaluated the impact of baseline testosterone levels on the mortality benefit of adding docetaxel to radiation therapy and ADT in nonmetastatic high-risk prostate cancer, underscoring the importance of patient stratification in treatment outcomes.

Docetaxel's role in enhancing immune responses was also highlighted in a study published in Cancer Science (PMID: 41989931), which reported that docetaxel-induced immune activation synergizes with the tumor-targeted CD40 agonist KK2269, showcasing its potential in combination with immunotherapeutic agents. Furthermore, research in International Journal of Cancer (PMID: 41450028) indicated that neoadjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel, oxaliplatin, and S-1 improved pathological responses in locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma, although robust real-world evidence remains limited.

Overall, these studies reflect a growing interest in optimizing docetaxel's therapeutic applications, exploring its combinations with other agents, and understanding the biological mechanisms that influence its efficacy in various cancer types.

Key Publications

• NEWJun Real-world comparison of androgen receptor pathway ınhibitors versus docetaxel as first-line treatment in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. (Current medical research and opinion, 2026, PMID 42258330): "Androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) and docetaxel are established first-line treatment options for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC); however, no randomized head-to-head trials have directly compared these strategies."
• Jun Efficacy and safety of darolutamide in combination with androgen deprivation therapy and docetaxel in European patients from the phase 3 ARASENS trial. (European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990), 2026, PMID 41967349): "In ARASENS, risk of death was significantly reduced by 32.5% with darolutamide in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and docetaxel (hazard ratio [HR], 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57-0.80; p<0.001) in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC)."
• Jun Testosterone and docetaxel treatment effect on mortality risk in nonmetastatic high-risk prostate cancer: A predictive biomarker analysis. (Cancer, 2026, PMID 42175549): "This study evaluated whether baseline testosterone group (low vs. normal) modifies the mortality benefit of adding docetaxel to radiation therapy (RT) and ADT in nonmetastatic high-risk PC."
• May Suppression of LncRNA AC008406.3 sensitizes breast cancer cells to docetaxel via triggering cuproptosis. (Cancer biology & therapy, 2026, PMID 42189063): "Docetaxel (DTX) is one of the commonly used chemotherapeutic agents for breast cancer."
• May Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel, oxaliplatin, and S-1 versus oxaliplatin and S-1 for locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma: A multicenter, real-world cohort study. (International journal of cancer, 2026, PMID 41450028): "Although phase II trials have shown that adding docetaxel to S-1/oxaliplatin (DOS) improves pathological response in HER2-negative locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC), robust real-world evidence comparing DOS with the standard S-1/oxaliplatin (SOX) regimen is lacking."
• May A Topology-to-Therapy Map for Prodrug Nanoassemblies. (ACS nano, 2026, PMID 42043486): "Here, we report a topological prodrug nanoassembly platform by conjugating docetaxel with fatty acid-based modification modules with linear, branched, or cyclic structure."
• May Triplet therapy versus androgen receptor pathway inhibitor-doublet therapy in metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer: a real-world multicenter retrospective comparison. (Japanese journal of clinical oncology, 2026, PMID 41578933): "Although pivotal trials have demonstrated the superiority of triplet therapy over androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)-docetaxel doublet therapy, direct comparisons between triplet and androgen receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI)-ADT doublet therapy remain lacking in real-world practice."
• May A smart P-gp inhibitor-drug conjugate nanomedicine overcomes administration challenges and multidrug resistance in breast cancer therapy. (Biomaterials science, 2026, PMID 41910039): "Docetaxel (DTX), a first-line taxane chemotherapeutic agent, is widely used in the treatment of breast cancer."
• May Age-stratified clinical outcomes and adverse events in patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer receiving triplet therapy with darolutamide, androgen deprivation therapy, and docetaxel. (Japanese journal of clinical oncology, 2026, PMID 41632522): "Triplet therapy with darolutamide, androgen deprivation therapy, and docetaxel (DOC) has emerged as an intensified treatment option for metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC)."
• May Survival modelling of relapse-free survival and competing-risk analysis in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer treated in GETUG-12. (European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990), 2026, PMID 41855781): "Adding docetaxel in this setting demonstrated better relapse-free survival (RFS) but not survival."