A. Each 5ml vial contains 30mg of paclitaxel in a 6mg/ml solution. The other ingredients are dehydrated alcohol and polyethoxylated castor oil. Paclitaxel is a member of a group of compounds referred to as the taxanes, which are anti-cancer agents.

A. TAXOL is used to treat ovarian cancer which has not responded to treatment with a platinum-containing medicine.

TAXOL is also used to treat breast cancer in patients who have not responded to standard treatment using a medicine belonging to the group known as anthracyclines, or for whom such treatment should not be used.

A. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in TAXOL or similar medicines as you should not receive TAXOL if you are. Your doctor should have checked that the results of your last blood test mean that you can receive your course of treatment. Also, make sure that your doctor knows if you have any liver disease, or if you are receiving treatment for fungal/ infections with a medicine containing ketoconazole.

A. Make sure you tell your doctor immediately, as you should not receive TAXOL during pregnancy.

A. You should not breast feed while you are being treated with TAXOL. Do not restart breast feeding until your doctor tells you it is safe to do so.

A. Not unless these have been discussed with your doctor or pharmacist. These include medicines bought at a pharmacy or elsewhere, e.g. supermarket.

A. There is no reason why you cannot continue driving between courses of TAXOL but you should remember that this medicine contains some alcohol and it may be unwise to drive.

A. There is no known interaction between TAXOL and alcohol. However, you should check with your doctor whether drinking is advisable for you.

A. TAXOL is given into a vein from an intravenous drip usually over about 3 hours. The dose you receive will be based on your body surface area and the result of blood tests carried out before treatment. The usual dose is 175mg/m², body surface area.

A. You will be asked to take a steroid tablet 12 hours and 6 hours before receiving TAXOL. You will also be given two injections of different types of antihistamine approximately 30-60 minutes before you receive TAXOL.

A. TAXOL is usually given every 3 weeks. This may vary, depending on the results of regular blood tests.

A. All medicines may cause some unwanted or "side" effects. The most common ones with TAXOL are: allergic reactions such as flushing, skin rash, dizziness, fast heart beat; abnormal heart beat; blood disorders (hence the need for regular blood tests); numbness, tingling and muscle pain; pain and swelling of the joints; hair loss; stomach upsets including sickness and diarrhoea; liver disorders; soreness of the mouth and tongue; swelling of the hands, feet and ankles; pain, inflammation and possibly skin discoloration at the site of injection. Most of these will occur during your treatment. If you notice any of these, or any other effects, between courses or after treatment has finished, tell your doctor.