Question

Paclitaxel affects not only cancer cells, but normal cells as well. Would the effects of Paclitaxel be seen first in organs that have quickly dividing cells (like the intestine and hair follicles) or in organs that have slow or nondividing cells (like muscles and the nervous system). Justify your reasoning.

Answer 1

Answer: The most affected would be organs that have QUICKLY dividing cells (like the intestine and hair follicles).

Explanation:

Cancer cells are cells that divides uncontrollably giving rise to a mass of tissue called tumour. They grow faster than a normal cell in an uncoordinated manner, and continues to grow after the initial stimulus has ceased.

Paclitaxel is a drug that is approved for the treatment of cancer affecting different parts of the body. It's a microtubule-stabilizing drug whose mechanism of action is to induce mitotic arrest in the cancer cells.

Paclitaxel in its cause of action not only affect cancer cells but normal cells as well. To justify this statement, as stated earlier, the mechanism of action of paclitaxel is to induce mitotic arrest. Therefore the cells of organs where rapid mitosis occurs would be most affected. Skin cells, hair follicles and the cells lining our intestines (epithelial cells) all have high rates of mitosis as these tissues constantly need to be replaced.