Classified as a “plant alkaloid,” Taxotere (also known by its generic name, Docetaxel) belongs to the taxoid family and is extracted from the renewable needle biomass of yew plants. It is given intravenously (through the vein, and not in pill form), along with a 3-day premedication with a corticosteroid pill to reduce the severity of fluid retention and allergic reactions.
While it is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer after failure of prior chemotherapy, it has also been used to treat lung, prostate, stomach, and head and neck cancer.