The taxanes paclitaxel and docetaxel are potent chemotherapeutic agents that block tubulin depolymerisation, leading to the inhibition of microtubule dynamics and cell cycle arrest. Although docetaxel and paclitaxel share a mutual tubulin binding site, mechanistic and pharmacological differences exist between these agents. For example, docetaxel has increased potency and an improved therapeutic index compared with paclitaxel, and its short 1-h infusion offers a substantial clinical advantage over the prolonged infusion durations required with paclitaxel. In clinical studies, docetaxel monotherapy demonstrated good response rates and an acceptable toxicity profile in both paclitaxel- and platinum-refractory ovarian cancer patients. In particular, neurotoxicity - a dominant side effect with both paclitaxel and cisplatin - occurs at a low incidence with docetaxel, making docetaxel a promising agent for combining cisplatin and other platinum compounds. In Phase II studies, the combination of docetaxel with either cisplatin or carboplatin has yielded impressive response rates of 69-74 and 81-87%, respectively. Furthermore, Phase III data suggest that docetaxel-carboplatin and paclitaxel-carboplatin are similarly efficacious with respect to progression-free survival and clinical response, although neurotoxicity occurs more frequently with the paclitaxel regimen. While paclitaxel-carboplatin remains the standard treatment for the management of advanced ovarian cancer, docetaxel-carboplatin appears to be a promising alternative, particularly in terms of minimising the incidence and severity of peripheral neuropathy.