paclitaxel

noun

pac·​li·​tax·​el ˌpa-kli-ˈtak-sᵊl 

: an antineoplastic drug C₄₇H₅₁NO₁₄ originally derived from the bark of the Pacific yew but now typically derived as a semisynthetic product of the English yew and used to treat ovarian cancer

Examples of paclitaxel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Carboplatin in particular — in combination with the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel — has remained unchallenged as the go-to for ovarian cancer, in particular when the treatment could be curative, rather than palliative. —Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 16 Aug. 2023

Sonabend also said that previous studies that injected paclitaxel directly into the brains of patients with these tumors had promising signs of efficacy, but the direct injection was associated with toxicity such as brain irritation and meningitis. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 3 May 2023

The team observed this increase with two chemotherapy drugs called paclitaxel and carboplatin. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 3 May 2023

The survival rate was not much better for women given Abraxane than for those given paclitaxel. —The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2021

Generic paclitaxel, dissolved in the castor-oil derivative, the article said, cost one-twenty-fifth as much. —The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2021

The introduction of taxanes like paclitaxel and docetaxel marked a significant advance in treatment. —Richard Ghalie, STAT, 26 Dec. 2019

Researchers randomly assigned 1,274 people with advanced disease to receive one of two kinds of chemotherapy — either paclitaxel (marketed as Taxol) plus carboplatin or pemetrexed (marketed as Alimta) plus carboplatin — or Keytruda. —Melissa Healy, latimes.com, 5 June 2018

Doctors debate whether any advantages of Abraxane merit the extra cost compared with generic paclitaxel. —Andrew Pollack, New York Times, 23 May 2016

Word History

Etymology

Pacific yew + -litax- (perhaps from Taxus brevifolia) + -el (alteration of -ol entry 1 or -ol entry 3)

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

paclitaxel

noun

pac·​li·​tax·​el ˌpak-li-ˈtak-səl 

: an antineoplastic agent C₄₇H₅₁NO₁₄ that was originally derived from the bark of a yew tree (Taxus brevifolia of the family Taxaceae) of the western United States and British Columbia but that is now typically derived as a semisynthetic product of the English yew (T. baccata) and is used to treat ovarian cancer which has not responded to conventional chemotherapy see taxol