Winston-Salem Taxotere Lawyer
Taxotere is a medication that is used to treat breast cancer. Cancerous tumors or tissue in one or both of the breasts may denote that an individual is suffering from breast cancer. An individual might notice a lump in their breast, which is typically detected during a routine mammogram or a self-exam. More frequent exams may be required if the individual has a family history of breast cancer or the BRCA1 gene. Determining the cause of any medical situation is the first step in deciding the best medical treatment available for your particular ailment.
Taxotere can be used to treat breast cancer in a variety of individuals, however, it can sometimes come with damaging side effects. If you have been harmed by a side effect of Taxotere, it is important that you hire a Winston-Salem Taxotere attorney to determine how to best recover any damages you may be awarded. An experienced dangerous drugs attorney can assist in guiding you through the claims process and ensuring you know what to expect at each step.
What is Taxotere?
Taxotere is a chemotherapy medication that is used by breast cancer patients to help fight their disease. Taxotere is made from the molecule ‘Taxol,’ which has an impact on cancer cells. Taxanes are in the Taxol family, and they stop cancer cells from reproducing. Often, Taxotere is used in approximately six chemotherapy sessions. Getting Taxotere treatment timely at scheduled intervals increases the chances that the cancerous tissues and cells are suppressed. Failing to do so could increase the length of time that treatment is necessary and/or require more aggressive treatment.
Potential Side Effects
Taxotere may come with a handful of consequences. The FDA first rejected Taxotere in the early 1990s because it made people too sick and the side-effects were very severe. Currently, professionals are concerned that Taxotere may cause permanent hair loss. Firstly, Taxotere may cause permanent baldness. Most people know that chemotherapy can cause temporary baldness, but people expect the hair to grow back after chemotherapy. Six months after chemotherapy is completed, if there is not significant hair growth then there may be a diagnosis of permanent baldness. To obtain any potential damages associated with a negative effect of Taxotere, it is important to contact a Winston-Salem Taxotere attorney as soon as possible.
For permanent baldness, unfortunately, there are not many treatment options. Some clients have to wear permanent wigs or hairpieces. Medication to stimulate hair growth has not worked well. Some people are not completely bald but have patches of baldness on their head. To those individuals, it feels like a permanent advertisement of their cancer diagnosis.
Consulting with a Physician
It is important for anyone suffering from cancer to talk with their doctor about the medication that they are prescribed and their options. There is another medication made from the same taxane molecules, ‘Taxol,’ that does not have the same risk of permanent hair loss. Some studies actually indicate that Taxol is as effective as Taxotere at fighting breast cancer. Arming the patient with information about their options before starting chemotherapy is always a good course of action. If an individual decides to go forward with treatment and is negatively affected, they should be sure to contact a Winston-Salem Taxotere lawyer immediately.
Filing a Claim
To have a Taxotere claim, an individual would have been given Taxotere during chemotherapy and, at least six months after completing chemotherapy would have been diagnosed with permanent baldness or permanent hair loss. This claim can be filed by a Winston-Salem Taxotere lawyer, who can work to effectively recover any damages you may be deserving of.
