Gemcitabine

Diagram of the molecular structure of Gemcitabine
Brand name: Gemzar®
IUPAC: 4-amino-1-[(2R,4R,5R)-3,3-difluoro-4-hydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]pyrimidin-2-one
FDA approval: Yes
Manufacturer Link
Usage:

Malignancies for which gemcitabine is used include non-small cell lung cancer (in combination with cisplatin), pancreatic cancer (advanced or metastaticThe term for a cancer that has spread beyond its point of origin. Metastatic disease is responsible for the majority of cancer deaths.), advanced ovarian cancer (in combination with carboplatin). 1 Gemcitabine is administered as an intravenous infusion.

Mechanism:

Gemcitabine (Gemzar®) is an antimetabolite that acts as a pyrimidine analog. It is incorporated into a dividing cell's DNAAbbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid. Composed of very long strings of nucleotides, which are abbreviated as A, C, G and T. DNA is the storage form of our genetic material. All of the instructions for the production of proteins are encoded in our DNA. which causes the cell to undergo apoptosisAlso called programmed cell death. Apoptosis is a natural process that occurs throughout the lives of almost all animals and plants. The death of the cells is a carefully controlled process that does not generate any inflammation. through triphosphate metabolite inhibition.1

The diagram below shows the 3D molecular structure of Gemcitabine.

Side effects:

Common side effects include bone marrow suppression, weakness, fever, nausea and vomiting, rash. Side effects may be different or more severe if gemcitabine is being administered with other cancer treatments. Gemcitabine can be a suppressor of bone marrow activity. It is important to monitor blood cell counts throughout the duration of treatment and especially before each infusion. Gemcitabine may result in toxicities of other bodily systems including the hepatic (liver), renal (kidneys), and pulmonary (lungs) systems. For this reason the function of these systems should be monitored throughout treatment to prevent severe complications. Gemcitabine should not be taken by women who are pregnant and patients should not become pregnant while using this drug, as it may have harmful affects on the developing fetus.1

  • 1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Office of Oncology Drug Products (accessed 2/4/08) [http://www.fda.gov/cder/Offices/OODP/whatsnew.htm]
  • 2. Chu, E., & DeVita, V. T. (2015). Physicians' cancer chemotherapy drug manual 2015. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
  • 3. Gemzar.. Prescribing Information. Eli Lilly and Company. 2014. [http://www.gemzar.com]