What are the side effects associated with paclitaxel

Common side effects include:

• nausea and vomiting
• loss of appetite
• change in taste
• thinned or brittle hair
• pain in the joints of the arms or legs lasting two to three days
• changes in the color of the nails 
• tingling in the hands or toes. 

More serious side effects such can include:

• unusual bruising or bleedingpain/redness/swelling at the injection site
• change in normal bowel habits for more than two days
• fever, chills, cough, sore throat
• difficulty swallowing
• dizziness
• shortness of breath
• severe exhaustion
• skin rash
• facial flushing
• female infertility by ovarian damage
• chest pain

Several of these side effects are associated with the excipient (the liquid used to carry the drug) used, Cremophor EL, a polyoxyethylated castor oil.

Allergies to drugs such as cyclosporine, teniposide and drugs containing polyoxyethylated castor oil may indicate increased risk of adverse reactions to paclitaxel. Dexamethasone is given prior to beginning paclitaxel treatment to mitigate some of the side effects. 

Leuprolide, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog may prevent ovarian damage, according to studies carried out in mice.