[Taxol (paclitaxel) as second-line therapy in breast and ovarian cancer].

Results of chemotherapy with taxol (paclitaxel) in 55 patients with recurrent breast and ovarian cancer were reviewed. Taxol was given as a 3-hour infusion, every 3 weeks, on an outpatient basis. There was complete or partial response in 8 patients (23%) with breast cancer and 10 (50%) with ovarian cancer.

Ethical and practical considerations of withdrawal of treatment in the intensive care unit.

Purpose: To discuss the medical, ethical and legal basis of decisions to discontinue life-support therapy in the adult intensive care unit (ICU), and to provide practical guidelines for the discontinuation of life support therapy.

Source: Relevant articles were retrieved through Medline (1991-present; terms: ethics, life support discontinuation, double effect, beneficence, non-maleficence). Other sources include legal references, and personal files.