Details

Paclitaxel is a cancer medication that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body. Paclitaxel is used to treat breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and lung cancer. It is also used to treat AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. Paclitaxel can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections and help your blood to clot. You may get an infection or bleed more easily. To make sure paclitaxel is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have HIV, AIDS, or Kaposi's sarcoma heart disease high blood pressure or liver disease. Paclitaxel should not be used in pregnancy.

Typical Uses

Paclitaxel is used to treat various types of cancer. It is a cancer chemotherapy drug that works by slowing or stopping cancer cell growth.

Side Effects

Common paclitaxel side effects may include fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, sores in your mouth and throat pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling) slow heart rate, feeling like you might pass out seizure (convulsions) chest pain, dry cough, wheezing, feeling short of breath numbness, tingling, or burning pain in your hands or feet jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) or severe redness or swelling, severe irritation, a hard lump, or skin changes where the injection was given.

Drug Interactions

• Paclitaxel+adalimumab- Using adalimumab together with paclitaxel may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
• Paclitaxel+atazanavir- Talk to your doctor before using paclitaxel together with atazanavir. Combining these medications may significantly increase the blood levels of paclitaxel. This may increase the risk of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, mouth sores, nerve pain, numbness, tingling, vision abnormalities, muscle pain or weakness, and impaired bone marrow function resulting in low numbers of different types of blood cells.
• Paclitaxel+certolizumab- Using paclitaxel together with certolizumab may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
• Paclitaxel+delavirdine- Talk to your doctor before using paclitaxel together with delavirdine. Combining these medications may significantly increase the blood levels of paclitaxel. This may increase the risk of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, mouth sores, nerve pain, numbness, tingling, vision abnormalities, muscle pain or weakness, and impaired bone marrow function resulting in low numbers of different types of blood cells.
• Paclitaxel+leflunomide- Using leflunomide together with paclitaxel may increase the risk of serious infections. Because leflunomide can stay in your blood for a prolonged period after the last dose, interactions with other drugs may occur for some time even after you have stopped taking it. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

Mechanism of action

Paclitaxel belongs to a class of medication called anti microtubule agents. It works by stopping growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.

Pregnancy Category : D