Gemcitabine is a nucleoside analog and a chemotherapeutic agent. It was originally investigated for its antiviral effects, but it is now used as an anticancer therapy for various cancers. Gemcitabine is a cytidine analog with two fluorine atoms replacing the hydroxyl on the ribose. As a prodrug, gemcitabine is transformed into its active metabolites that work by replacing the building blocks of nucleic acids during DNA elongation, arresting tumour growth and promoting apoptosis of malignant cells. The structure, metabolism, and mechanism of action of gemcitabine are similar to cytarabine, but gemcitabine has a wider spectrum of antitumour activity.
Gemcitabine is marketed as Gemzar and it is available as intravenous injection. It is approved by the FDA to treat advanced ovarian cancer in combination with carboplatin, metastatic breast cancer in combination with paclitaxel, non-small cell lung cancer in combination with cisplatin, and pancreatic cancer as monotherapy. It is also being investigated in other cancer and tumour types.
Gemcitabine is a chemotherapeutic agent used as monotherapy or in combination with other anticancer agents.
In combination with carboplatin, it is indicated for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer that has relapsed at least 6 months after completion of platinum-based therapy.
Gemcitabine in combination with paclitaxel is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer after failure of prior anthracycline-containing adjuvant chemotherapy, unless anthracyclines were clinically contraindicated.
In combination with cisplatin, gemcitabine is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with inoperable, locally advanced (Stage IIIA or IIIB) or metastatic (Stage IV) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Dual therapy with cisplatin is also used to treat patients with Stage IV (locally advanced or metastatic) transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder.
Gemcitabine is indicated as first-line treatment for patients with locally advanced (nonresectable Stage II or Stage III) or metastatic (Stage IV) adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Gemcitabine is indicated for patients previously treated with fluorouracil.
Humanitas Cancer Center, Milan, Italy
Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisa, Pisa, Italy
ASST Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Oncology Associates PC, Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Kaiser Permanente Dublin, Dublin, California, United States
Kaiser Permanente-Fremont, Fremont, California, United States
Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States
Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, Seongnam-si, Korea, Republic of
Severance Hospital, Yonsei Health System, Seoul, Korea, Republic of
Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, Republic of
Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Department of Internal Medicine, Aachen, Germany
Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel, Children's Hospital, Bielefeld, Germany
Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
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