The journal of supportive oncology
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Many investigations have focused on an optimal dosing schedule for paclitaxel since its regulatory approval. Paclitaxel is generally administered at a dose of 175 mg/m2 IV over 3 hours or 135-175 mg/m2 IV over 24 hours, every 3 weeks. The purpose of this study was to simplify the administration of paclitaxel to make it suitable and practical in the outpatient setting. ⋯ Paclitaxel always was administered before other chemotherapeutic agents. Hypersensitivity reactions were recorded in 4 patients (7.7%) and were not influenced by age, gender, disease, dose schedule, or number of cycles of therapy; no serious hypersensitivity reactions were observed. The present study supports the efficacy and safety of a short premedication schedule; with further study, this schedule might become a standard premedication protocol prior to paclitaxel administration.
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Review Comparative Study
Managing pain in patients with aberrant drug-taking behaviors.
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The most common cancers, such as those affecting the breast, prostate, and lung have a strong predilection to metastasize to bone. Bone metastasis frequently results in pain, pathologic fractures, hypercalcemia, and spinal cord compression. Pain can have a devastating effect on the quality of life in advanced cancer patients and is a serious complication of cancer. ⋯ New insights into the mechanisms that induce cancer pain now are coming from animal models. Chemicals derived from tumor cells, inflammatory cells, and cells derived from bone appear to be involved simultaneously in driving this frequently difficult-to-control pain state. Understanding the mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of bone cancer pain will improve both our ability to provide mechanism-based therapies and the quality of life of cancer patients.