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.
UPMC Hillman Cancer Centers ( Site 0041), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
PPG-Oncology ( Site 0043), Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
Ingalls Memorial Hospital ( Site 0044), Harvey, Illinois, United States
Research Site, Fairfax, Virginia, United States
HonorHealth Research Institute, Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
Taiwan Cooperative Oncology Group, National Health Research Institutes, Taipei, Taiwan
Fudan Universtiy Shanghai Cancer Centre, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States
Ospedale di Faenza, Faenza, Ravenna, Italy
AUSL Rimini-Oncologia Medica Cattolica, Cattolica, Rimini, Italy
AOU Santa Croce e Carle, Cuneo, Italy
ICM; Medecine B3, Montpellier cedex 5, France
Christie Hospital Nhs Trust; Medical Oncology, Manchester, United Kingdom
Adana Baskent University Hospital; Medical Oncology, Adana, Turkey
St. John of God Murdoch Hospital, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Australia
Sydney Adventist Hospital, Wahroonga, Australia
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