Gemcitabine
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| 2'-deoxy-2',2'-difluorocytidine | |
| CAS number 95058-81-4 and 122111-03-9 (HCl) | ATC code L01BC05 |
| Chemical formula | C9H11F2N3O4 |
| Molecular weight | 263.199 or 299.66 (HCl) |
| Bioavailability | ? |
| Metabolism | ? |
| Elimination half-life | ? |
| Excretion | ? |
| Pregnancy category | ? |
| Legal status | ? |
| Routes of administration | Oral, intravenous |
Gemcitabine is a nucleoside used as chemotherapy. It is marketed as Gemzar® by Eli Lilly and Company.
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Chemistry
Chemically gemcitabine is a nucleoside in which the hydrogen of 2' grades of deoxycytidine is replaced by fluoride.
Mode of action
As with fluorouracil, the drug replaces cytidine during DNA replication. The process arrests, as new nucleosides cannot be attached to the "faulty" nucleoside, resulting in apoptosis (cellular "suicide").
Uses
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Gemzar_logo.gif
Gemzar logo
Gemzar_logo.gif
Gemzar logo
Gemcitabine is used in various carcinomas: non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and breast cancer. It is being investigated for use in oesophageal cancer, and is used experimentally in lymphomas and various other tumor types.