Paclitaxel: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use it

What medicine is Paclitaxel?

What is paclitaxel for?

Paclitaxel is a drug used to treat many types of cancer. This drug is a cancer chemotherapy drug that works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells.

How do I use paclitaxel?

Read the information on the leaflet available from your pharmacist before you start using paclitaxel. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

This medication is given by injection into a vein by a health professional. This medication is given on a schedule directed by your doctor. Dosage is based on your medical condition, body size, and response to treatment.

How do I store paclitaxel?

This medication is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Paclitaxel dosage

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dose of paclitaxel for adults?

Normal Dosage for Adults with Ovarian Cancer

For ovarian cancer patients who have never been treated before:

175 mg / m2 infused over 3 hours every 3 weeks followed by cisplatin or

135 mg / m2 infused for 24 hours every 3 weeks followed by cisplatin

For patients previously treated for ovarian cancer:

175 mg / m2 infused over 3 hours every 3 weeks or

135 mg / m2 infused over 3 hours every 3 weeks

Normal Dosage for Adults with Kaposi's Sarcoma

For patients with diseases associated with Kaposi's AIDS sarcoma:

135 mg / m2 infused over 3 hours every 3 weeks or

100 mg / m2 infused over 3 hours every 2 weeks

Note: In patients with advanced HIV disease:

1) Reduce the dose of dexamethasone as one of the three premedication drugs to 10 mg (not 20 mg orally)

2) Start or repeat treatment with paclitaxel only if the neutrophil count is at least 1,000 cells / mm3

3) Reduce the next dose of paclitaxel consumption by 20% for patients with severe neutropenia (a neutrophi count <500 cells / mm3 for a week or more)

4) Concomitant consumption of hematopoietic growth factor (G-CSF) as clinical indication.

Normal Dosage for Adults with Breast Cancer - Adjuvant

For relief treatment of positive knots:

175 mg / m2 infused over 3 hours every 3 weeks for four consecutive courses of chemotherapy containing doxorubicin.

Normal Dosage for Adults with Breast Cancer

After failure of initial chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within 6 months of chemotherapy assisted:

175 mg / m2 infused over 3 hours every 3 weeks

Normal dosage for adults with lung cancer cells that are not small

135 mg / m2 infused for 24 hours followed by cisplatin every 3 weeks

What is the dose of paclitaxel for children?

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients (less than 18 years) have not been established.

In what dosage is paclitaxel available?

Concentration, infusion: 100 mg / 16.7 mL (16.7 mL); 30 mg / 5 mL (5 mL); 150 mg / 25 mL; 300 mg / 50 mL (50 mL).

Paclitaxel side effects

What side effects can be experienced due to paclitaxel?

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores, muscle / joint pain, numbness / tingling / sensation of burning hands / feet, flushing, dizziness, or drowsiness may occur. If any of these effects persist or get worse, tell your doctor right away.

Temporary hair loss may occur. Normal hair growth usually returns after treatment has ended.

This medicine may but rarely causes changes in blood pressure and heart rate. You must be under surveillance to watch for changes during the infusion of this drug. Tell your doctor right away if you feel increasingly dizzy, have a headache, or have a fast / slow / irregular heartbeat.

Many people using this drug have serious side effects. However, your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefits to you outweigh the risk of side effects. Careful monitoring by your doctor can lower your risk.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: signs of anemia (for example, unusual fatigue, pale skin), easy bruising / bleeding, fainting, confusion, pain / redness / swelling / weakness in the arms / feet, calf pain / swelling that is warm to the touch, coughing up blood, persistent nausea / vomiting, stomach / stomach pain, yellowing eyes / skin, dark urine, vision / hearing changes, seizures.

This medication does not usually irritate the vein, is given when the leak or blood leaks out of the vein and irritates the area. These effects can cause redness, pain, swelling, discoloration, or unusual skin reactions at the injection site, either when the drug is given or about 7 to 10 days later. If this medicine has leaked from the blood vessels and caused skin reactions in the past, you may rarely experience skin reactions in the same area when the drug is given again, even when the drug is given to another area. Tell your doctor immediately of any symptoms that occur on the skin / injection area.

Paclitaxel Drug Warnings and Cautions

What should be known before using paclitaxel?

Before using paclitaxel, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any allergies to this medicine. or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain active ingredients (such as polyoxyethylated castor oil), which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Discuss with your pharmacist for more details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: blood disorders (for example, low white blood cell count), decreased bone marrow function, infection, heart problems (for example, fast / slow / irregular heartbeat), high or low blood pressure, liver disease.

This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do activities that require alertness until you are sure you can carry out activities safely. Limit alcoholic drinks.

Is paclitaxel safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There are no adequate studies regarding the risks of using this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication. This drug is included in the risk of pregnancy category D according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = No risk,
• B = not at risk in several studies,
• C = May be risky,
• D = There is positive evidence of risk,
• X = Contraindicated,
• N = Unknown

There are no data on whether paclitaxel can be transmitted through breast milk. Because many drugs can be passed through breast milk, and because of the potential for serious side effects in a nursing infant, mothers should stop breastfeeding while taking Paclitaxel treatment.

Animal studies have shown that giving paclitaxel-labeled carbon-14 infusion on days 9 to 10 after delivery, found that radioactivity concentrations in breast milk were higher than in plasma and decreased in parallel with plasma concentrations.

Paclitaxel Drug Interactions

What medicines may interact with paclitaxel?

Using this medication with any of the following medicines is not usually recommended, but may be necessary in some cases. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both drugs.

• Abiraterone Acetate
• Adenovirus Vaccine Type 4, Live
• Adenovirus Vaccine Type 7, Live
• Aprepitant
• Bacillus Calmette from and Guerin Vaccines, Live
• Bexarotene
• Carbamazepine
• Ceritinib
• Cisplatin
• Cobicistat
• Crizotinib
• Dabrafenib
• Deferasirox
• Doxorubicin
• Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Liposome
• Eslicarbazepine Acetate
• Ethinyl Estradiol
• Fluconazole
• Fosaprepitant
• Idelalisib
• Infliximab
• Influenza Virus Vaccine, Live
• Ketoconazole
• Measles Virus Vaccine, Live
• Mitotane
• Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live
• Nilotinib
• Pazopanib
• Piperaquine
• Pixantrone
• Primidone
• Rubella Virus Vaccine, Alive
• Siltuximab
• Smallpox Vaccine
• St John's Wort
• Testosterone
• Tretinoin
• Typhoid Vaccine
• Valspodar
• Varicella Virus Vaccine
• Yellow Fever Vaccine

Using this medication with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both drugs.

• Dalfopristin
• Epirubicin
• Fosphenytoin
• Lapatinib
• Phenytoin
• Quinupristin

Can food or alcohol interact with paclitaxel?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your health care provider.

What health conditions can interact with paclitaxel?

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this drug. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• bradycardia (slow heart rate)
• heart rhythm problems
• hypertension (high blood pressure)
• hypotension (low blood pressure)
• peripheral neuropathy (pain, numbness, or tingling of the hands, arms, legs, or feet) - use with caution. It might make things worse
• infection - can decrease your body's ability to fight infection
• liver disease - use with caution. Side effects can increase because the elimination of the drug from the body is slower
• neutropenia, severe (very low white blood cells) - should not be used in patients with this condition.

Paclitaxel overdose

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (112) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Overdose symptoms may include:

• pale skin
• hard to breathe
• excessive fatigue
• sore throat, fever, chills, and other signs of infection
• unusual bruising or bleeding
• numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands and feet
• sores in the mouth

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose. Call your doctor right away if you can't keep your appointment to receive the infusion dose of paclitaxel.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.