About your treatment  

Your doctor has ordered the drug paclitaxel to help treat your illness. The drug is given by injection into a vein.

This medication is used to treat:

• metastatic breast cancer
• metastatic ovarian cancer
• Kaposi's sarcoma

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Paclitaxel is in a class of drugs known as taxanes. It slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body. The length of treatment depends on the types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer you have.

Other uses for this medicine  

Paclitaxel has been used to treat head and neck cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, and bladder cancer. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.

In case of emergency/overdose  

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Special instructions  

• The most common side effect of paclitaxel is a decrease of blood cells. Your doctor may order tests before, during, and after your treatment to see if your blood cells are affected by the drug.

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