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Taxol (Paclitaxel) - Summary

 

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WARNING

TAXOL® (paclitaxel) should be administered under the supervision of a physician experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Appropriate management of complications is possible only when adequate diagnostic and treatment facilities are readily available.

Anaphylaxis and severe hypersensitivity reactions characterized by dyspnea and hypotension requiring treatment, angioedema, and generalized urticaria have occurred in 2 to 4% of patients receiving TAXOL in clinical trials. Fatal reactions have occurred in patients despite premedication. All patients should be pretreated with corticosteroids, diphenhydramine, and H2 antagonists. (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION.) Patients who experience severe hypersensitivity reactions to TAXOL should not be rechallenged with the drug.

TAXOL therapy should not be given to patients with solid tumors who have baseline neutrophil counts of less than 1500 cells/mm3 and should not be given to patients with AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma if the baseline neutrophil count is less than 1000 cells/mm3. In order to monitor the occurrence of bone marrow suppression, primarily neutropenia, which may be severe and result in infection, it is recommended that frequent peripheral blood cell counts be performed on all patients receiving TAXOL.

 

TAXOL SUMMARY

TAXOL (paclitaxel) Injection is a clear colorless to slightly yellow viscous solution. It is supplied as a nonaqueous solution intended for dilution with a suitable parenteral fluid prior to intravenous infusion.

TAXOL is indicated as first-line and subsequent therapy for the treatment of advanced carcinoma of the ovary. As first-line therapy, TAXOL is indicated in combination with cisplatin.

TAXOL is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of node-positive breast cancer administered sequentially to standard doxorubicin-containing combination chemotherapy. In the clinical trial, there was an overall favorable effect on disease-free and overall survival in the total population of patients with receptor-positive and receptor-negative tumors, but the benefit has been specifically demonstrated by available data (median follow-up 30 months) only in the patients with estrogen and progesterone receptor-negative tumors. (See CLINICAL STUDIES: Breast Carcinoma.)

TAXOL is indicated for the treatment of breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy. Prior therapy should have included an anthracycline unless clinically contraindicated.

TAXOL, in combination with cisplatin, is indicated for the first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in patients who are not candidates for potentially curative surgery and/or radiation therapy.

TAXOL is indicated for the second-line treatment of AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma.

TAXOL NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Media Articles Related to Taxol (Paclitaxel)

Weekly Doses of Taxol Prolonged Lives of Breast Cancer Patients
Source: MedicineNet cyclophosphamide Specialty [2008.04.17]

Paclitaxel Plus Chemo Improves Outcomes in Early Breast Cancer
Source: MedicineNet cyclophosphamide Specialty [2008.05.28]

Gemcitabine Plus Paclitaxel Increases Survival in Metastatic Breast Cancer
Source: Medscape Pharmacotherapy Headlines [2004.06.10]

Boston Scientific Completes Clinical Trial Enrollment For Third-Generation Drug-Eluting Stent
Source: Cardiovascular / Cardiology News From Medical News Today [2008.10.09]

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Published Studies Related to Taxol (Paclitaxel)

Randomized crossover pharmacokinetic study of solvent-based paclitaxel and nab-paclitaxel. [2008.07.01]

Randomized phase 3 trial of Fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide alone or followed by Paclitaxel for early breast cancer. [2008.06.04]

Phase III study of valspodar (PSC 833) combined with paclitaxel and carboplatin compared with paclitaxel and carboplatin alone in patients with stage IV or suboptimally debulked stage III epithelial ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal cancer. [2008.06.01]

Phase III trial comparing paclitaxel poliglumex (CT-2103, PPX) in combination with carboplatin versus standard paclitaxel and carboplatin in the treatment of PS 2 patients with chemotherapy-naive advanced non-small cell lung cancer. [2008.06]

Tumor response kinetics after schedule-dependent paclitaxel chemoradiation treatment for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer: a model for low-dose chemotherapy radiosensitization. [2008.06]

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Clinical Trials Related to Taxol (Paclitaxel)

Comparison of Liposome Entrapped Paclitaxel Easy to Use (LEP-ETU) and TaxolŽ Pharmacokinetics in Patients With Advanced Cancer [Active, not recruiting]

Paclitaxel and ABI-007 in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors [Active, not recruiting]

Study of Dose-Dense Adriamycin Plus Cytoxan (AC) Followed by Either Abraxane or Taxol With Bevacizumab as Adjuvant Therapy for Patients With Breast Cancer [Active, not recruiting]

ABI-007 in Taxol Resistant Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer [Completed]

Neoadjuvant Therapy With Herceptin and Taxol for Breast Cancer [Active, not recruiting]

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Page last updated: 2008-10-09

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