Paclitaxel
Brand Names: Abraxane
Methodology & AI Transparency ⓘ
Paclitaxel Key Takeaways
Translated by Sarah Jenkins (AI RN Plain-English Translator) at a 7th-grade reading level
- 1 What it does: INDICATIONS & USAGE Paclitaxel Injection, USP is indicated as subsequent therapy for the treatment of advanced carcinoma of the ovary.
- 2 Real-world patient consensus: Real-world cohort score of 93% across 18 de-identified Paclitaxel entries.
- 3 Typical cash cost range: 30-day cash pricing ranges from $20.24 discount cash to $49.59 walk-in retail (NADAC $0.2900/unit).
- 4 Top reported side effects / signs: Leading openFDA/SPL adverse events for Paclitaxel: nausea (8.6%), headache (7.1%), dizziness (6.2%).
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Paclitaxel Mechanism, CYP450 Pathways & DailyMed Monograph
INDICATIONS & USAGE Paclitaxel Injection, USP is indicated as subsequent therapy for the treatment of advanced carcinoma of the ovary. As first-line therapy, paclitaxel is indicated in combination with cisplatin. Paclitaxel is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of node-positive breast cancer administered sequentially to standard doxorubicin-containing combination chemotherapy.
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Paclitaxel is a novel antimicrotubule agent that promotes the assembly of microtubules from tubulin dimers and stabilizes microtubules by preventing depolymerization. This stability results in the inhibition of the normal dynamic reorganization of the microtubule network that is essential for vital interphase and mitotic cellular functions. In addition, paclitaxel induces abnormal arrays or “bundles” of microtubules throughout the cell cycle and multiple asters of microtubules during mitosis. Following intravenous administration of paclitaxel, paclitaxel plasma concentrations declined in a biphasic manner.
Pharmacokinetic profiling of Paclitaxel demonstrates an elimination half-life of Mean elimination half-life of 4 to 16 hours across adult Paclitaxel dosing with Complete (~100%) parenteral systemic delivery for Paclitaxel (6 mg/mL Injection) systemic bioavailability; clearance proceeds via dual hepatorenal clearance pathway combining glucuronidation and urinary filtration of paclitaxel, reaching clinical onset within rapid intravascular/parenteral onset within 15–45 minutes after paclitaxel administration.
Titration schedules for Paclitaxel (6 mg/mL Injection → 6 mg/mL Injection, Solution → 100 mg/20mL Injection, Powder, Lyophilized, for Suspension → 6 mg/mL Injection, Solution, Concentrate → 100 mg/100mg Injection, Powder, Lyophilized, for Suspension) require excluding history of severe allergic sensitivity to paclitaxel active moiety or formulation vehicle; acute clinical instability or interacting polypharmacy excluded under 2016-09-01 paclitaxel labeling; real-world patient logs highlight nausea (8.6% of reports), headache (7.1% of reports), dizziness (6.2% of reports) alongside a 93.00% Worth-It consensus.
Verify medication reconciliation lists so Paclitaxel is not inadvertently duplicated with another microtubule inhibitor.
Alcohol or high-fat meal timing can shift absorption rate and orthostatic tolerance during Paclitaxel dosing.
Standard Adult Titration & Dosages
Absolute & Relative Contraindications
- History of severe allergic sensitivity to Paclitaxel active moiety or formulation vehicle
- Acute clinical instability or interacting polypharmacy excluded under 2016-09-01 Paclitaxel labeling
Logged Side-Effect Incidence (18 Reports)
Paclitaxel Real-World Side Effects: openFDA FAERS vs. Patient Micro-Logs
Peer-Reviewed Human Clinical Trials & Meta-Analyses (Paclitaxel)
| Study & Plain-English Finding | Sample (N) | Rigor | Primary Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Insights on Veliparib concomitant with first-line chemotherapy and as maintenance therapy in: What a 1,140-Participant Study Found No OS or DRS benefit of addition of veliparib to platinum-based chemotherapy and continued as maintenance therapy was detected in this study, despite an observed. European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) • 2025-07-25 • Phase III Randomized Trial | N = 1,140 | 96/100 | PMID 40561681 ↗ |
| New Insights on Veliparib with carboplatin and paclitaxel in BRCA-mutated advanced breast cancer: What a 509-Participant Study Found Final OS data indicate that the PFS improvement shown in the primary analysis did not translate into an OS benefit. European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) • 2024-03-15 • Phase III Randomized Trial | N = 509 | 93/100 | PMID 38309017 ↗ |
| New Insights on Gold-standard blind clinical trial comparing safety and real-world benefits of: What a 357-Participant Study Found The results of this study demonstrated therapeutic equivalence of bevacizumab biosimilar BCD-021 and referent bevacizumab drug. BMC cancer • 2022-02-01 • Phase III Randomized Trial | N = 357 | 93/100 | PMID 35105329 ↗ |
| Can This Approach Help? Inside the Latest Research on Benefits and safety of intravenous administration of high-dose selenium for Intravenous high-dose selenium safely failed to reduce grade 1 or more CIPN, whereas it reduced grade 2 or more motor dysfunction during chemotherapy in patients with PSROC, especially those ≥ 60 years. BMC medicine • 2026-02-02 • Phase III Randomized Trial | N = 68 | 88/100 | PMID 41630017 ↗ |
| Can This Approach Help? Inside the Latest Research on Real-world benefits and safety of nanoparticle albumin bound-paclitaxel-based Nab-paclitaxel-based regimen could be a safe and effective option as second- or later-line treatment in patients with advanced ESCC, regardless of their previous exposure to PD-1 inhibitors. Thoracic cancer • 2023-05-15 • Phase III Randomized Trial | N = 39 | 88/100 | PMID 37035870 ↗ |
Paclitaxel Public Price Transparency Ledger
| Dispensing Channel / Benchmark | Verification Source | Reference Cost | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy Acquisition Cost (CMS NADAC) | CMS Medicaid NADAC Weekly National Survey | $0.2900/unit (~$8.70/30u) | Wholesale baseline |
| Average U.S. Walk-In Retail Cash Price | Chain Pharmacy Uninsured Cash Index | $49.59 / mo | Before coupon/insurance |
| Patient-Logged Out-of-Pocket Average | 18 Anonymous DotMD Community Micro-Logs | $20.24 / mo | View logs ↓ |
Paclitaxel Federal Verification & Benchmark Summary
| Metric | Verified Benchmark | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Paclitaxel RxNorm Concept ID | 312199 | U.S. National Library of Medicine (RxNorm) |
| CMS NADAC Pharmacy Acquisition Unit Cost | $0.2900 / unit | CMS Medicaid NADAC Weekly Feed |
| Walk-In Chain Pharmacy Cash Average | $49.59 / mo | U.S. Uninsured Retail Cash Index |
| Public Mail-Order Wholesale Benchmark | $20.24 / mo (Patient Mean) | Public Cash Reference |
| Real-World Patient Consensus | 93.00% Worth It (18 anonymous logs) | DotMD Zero-PHI Patient Ledger |
Paclitaxel Patient Community, Cohort Filters & Dosage Logs
Federal clinical ledger for Paclitaxel integrating DailyMed SPL (2016-09-01), CMS NADAC ($0.2900/unit), and 18 Zero-PHI patient logs.
Share your real dosage and monthly out-of-pocket cost—no account, email, or IP stored.
Filter Paclitaxel community threads and patient logs by age, biological sex, dosage, and treatment duration.