Information on Cancer Drug Taxol

Information on Cancer Drug Taxol
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The cancer drug Taxol (AKA Paclitaxel) is a medication which interferes with cancer cell growth, preventing the spread of cancer in the body. Taxol is used for the treatment of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, and Kaposi’s sarcoma.

Taxol was discovered in the 1960s as a result of a venture known as “chemical prospecting.” In this instance, the National Cancer Institute and the United States Department of Agriculture screened plant tissues for compounds with anti-tumor activity, with the hope that a new treatment for cancer might be discovered. In 1962, the chemical compound that became known as Taxol, obtained from extracts of the bark of the Pacific Yew tree, was discovered to have anti-cancer activity.

Chemical Composition and Activity of Taxol

Paclitaxel is no longer derived from the bark of the Pacific Yew tree, due to concerns over the sustainability of using a naturally-sourced extract. The drug is now chemically synthesized, but the chemical composition of Taxol remains the same as the original source. The drug is synthesized as a lipophilic, water-insoluble crystalline powder with the empiric formula C47H51NO14.

The cancer drug Taxol works by inhibiting the cell cycle of cancer cells. The drug prevents assembly of structures called microtubules, which are needed by a dividing cell to continue mitosis. Without these structures the cell cannot proceed past the interphase of mitosis.

Medical Use of Taxol

Medical use of Taxol depends on the type of cancer involved. For some cancers, the cancer drug Taxol is used as a first-line treatment, and for other cancers, as a second-line treatment (meaning that Taxol is used only if first-line treatment is ineffective).

Taxol may be used for:

  • First-line treatment for advanced ovarian cancer (in conjunction with Cisplatin)
  • First-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (if the individual is not a candidate for curative surgery or radiotherapy)
  • Second-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer
  • Second-line treatment for AIDS-related Kaposi’s Sarcoma

Important Consumer Information about Taxol

When medical use of Taxol is indicated there are some important things to keep in mind. First, that Taxol is not recommended for women who are pregnant, as Taxol may be harmful to unborn babies. In addition, Taxol is not recommended for people with liver or heart disease.

Finally, the cancer drug Taxol can be toxic to immune cells, so if you are being treated with Taxol it’s important to be aware that infection and injury can be more severe and even dangerous, due to suppression of the immune system.

Sources

Hill, Vanessa. The Anti-Cancer Drug Taxol: A Case for or Against Chemical Prospecting?

Taxol Information at drugs.com