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What is Paclitaxel used for?
This medicine is used during chemotherapy. It helps in treatment of advanced cancer of lungs, ovaries, non-small cell lung, and breast. It also manages sarcoma of AIDS-related Kaposi. Moreover, it may also treat solid tumors of prostate, bladder, esophageal, as well as melanoma. It is at times considered a combination with other treatments and sometimes first-line therapy too.
How does Paclitaxel work?
Paclitaxel triggers apoptosis by preventing depolymerization during mitosis. It also interferes with division of cancer cells. It also restricts growth of tumor by disrupting the spindle formation required for cell multiplication.
What are the Paclitaxel ingredients and available forms?
Paclitaxel is the active ingredient. It is added in Cremophor EL/ethanol for IV use or albumin-bound nanoparticles (Abraxane). The available format is an injectable solution or concentrate for intravenous infusion.
How long does Paclitaxel take to act?
Paclitaxel works quickly to reach peak levels in the blood soon after administration. It can take some time for it to impact the cancer cells. However, it interferes in cell division activity, especially for tumors. You can expect to see improvement over days or weeks depending on the frequency of treatment cycles.
How long does the treatment with Paclitaxel last?
Treatment with Paclitaxel may go on for 3 to 5 months, including 4 to 6 cycles every 3 weeks. The treatment duration will also depend on the individual’s cancer type and severity of the condition, response to the substance, and the cancer treatment schedule. The therapy may go on until the cancer advances to a level beyond positive effect or intolerance in the metastatic stage.
What are the Paclitaxel benefits?
This chemotherapy agent improves survival chances in lung, breast, and ovarian cancers. It also ensures a better response rate in cancer treatment and may slow down progression of the disease. It may work better in many cases compared to many other traditional cancer medicines. It may act well as a first-line remedy, while being a strong treatment for tumors as well.
What is the Paclitaxel dosage and administration?
The dose may differ from a type of cancer and medical condition to another. For example, the dose is 175 mg/m² IV over 3 hours. The therapy may go on for 3 weeks for ovarian/breast cancer. Similarly, for ovarian cancer, the dose is135 mg/m² over 24 hours with cisplatin. Adhering to the protocols of the treatment, the substance is intravenously administered to the patient.
What are the Paclitaxel side effects?
The common side effects include neutropenia, peripheral neuropathy, alopecia, nausea, myalgia/arthralgia, allergic reactions, and fatigue. Severe risks include anaphylaxis, infections, and cardiac toxicity. It is advisable to monitor blood counts regularly when on this medicine.
What are precautions and contraindications of Paclitaxel?
Contraindications are allergy to Paclitaxel or Cremophor EL, or neutropenia. Maintain caution if this solution is used in people with liver disorder, neuropathy, pregnancy, or being treated with steroids/H1/H2 blockers. Dose adjustment could be required for people with liver dysfunction and active infections.
