Paclitaxel
TaxolPubChem CID 36314 · 3D model
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Locks the cell's internal scaffolding in place so cancer cells can't divide and eventually die.
How it works
Cells rely on a flexible internal skeleton made of protein fibers (microtubules) that constantly builds and breaks down as the cell divides. Paclitaxel interferes with this process by making those fibers too stable and rigid, so they can no longer rearrange themselves the way a dividing cell needs. This freezes fast-growing cancer cells in the middle of division. Unable to complete division or move on, the cells trigger their own self-destruct process and die.
What it’s used for
Used to treat several cancers, most often as part of chemotherapy regimens: breast cancer, ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer in patients who can't have surgery or radiation, and Kaposi's sarcoma, a cancer linked to AIDS, when a first treatment hasn't worked.
- Mechanism
- Microtubule stabilizer
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Oncology