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.
Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi, China
Guilin Medical University, China, Guilin, Guangxi, China
Nanxishan Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guilin, Guangxi, China
Hospital Universitario de Vinalopó, Elche, Alicante, Spain
Hospital Universitario de Jerez, Jerez De La Frontera, Cadiz, Spain
Start Madrid - Hospital Universitario HM Sanchinarro, Madrid, Spain
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach, California, United States
University of California - Davis Cancer Center, Sacramento, California, United States
University of Louisville - Brown Cancer Center, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, Tianjin, China
Ain Shams University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, Arizona, United States
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