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gemcitabine gemcitabine

 
  Trade/other name(s)
Gemzar 		 
  Pronunciation: jem-site-uh-bean  
  Why would this drug be used?
Gemcitabine is used to treat pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and lung cancer, and may be used for other cancers as well. 		 
  How does this drug work?
Gemcitabine is a member of a general group of chemotherapy drugs known as antimetabolites. It prevents cells from making DNA and RNA by interfering with the making of nucleic acids, which stops cell replication, causing the cells to die. 		 
  Before taking this medicine

Tell your doctor: 		 
 
  • If you are allergic to anything, including medicines, dyes, additives, or foods.
  • If you have any medical conditions such as kidney disease, liver disease (including hepatitis), heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, gout, or infections. These conditions may require that your medicine dose, regimen, or timing be changed.
  • If you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or if there is any chance of pregnancy. This drug may cause birth defects if either the male or female is taking it at the time of conception or during pregnancy. Men and women who are taking this drug need to use some kind of birth control. It is important to check with your doctor about what kinds of birth control can be used with this medicine.
  • If you are breastfeeding. It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. If it does, it could harm the baby.
  • If you think you might want to have children in the future. Some drugs can cause sterility. Talk with your doctor about the possible risk with this drug and the options that may preserve your ability to have children.
  • About any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines you are taking, including vitamins and herbs.
 
  Interactions with other drugs
No serious interactions are known at this time. But this does not necessarily mean that none exist. Check with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about other medicines, vitamins, herbs, and supplements, and whether alcohol can cause problems with this medicine. 		 
  Interactions with foods
No serious interactions with food are known at this time. Check with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about whether foods may be a problem. 		 
 
Tell all the doctors, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists you visit that you are taking this drug.

  
  How is this drug taken or given?
Gemcitabine is given as an injection in a vein over a period of 30 minutes. Pancreatic cancer patients are given gemcitabine once a week for up to 7 weeks to start, then once a week for 3 weeks, and 1 week without treatment. This cycle is repeated every 4 weeks. When given for breast cancer, it's usually once a week for 2 weeks, then 1 week off. For lung cancer or other cancer patients, it usually is given weekly for 3 weeks with 1 week off. The dose depends on several factors: your size, your blood counts, and the cancer being treated. 		 
  Precautions
Your doctor will likely test your blood throughout your treatment, looking for possible effects of the drug on blood counts (described below) or on other body organs. Based on the test results, you may be given medicines to help treat any effects. Your doctor may also need to reduce or delay your next dose of this drug, or even stop it altogether.

This drug can lower your white blood cell count, especially in the weeks after the drug is given. This can increase your chance of getting an infection. Be sure to let your doctor or nurse know right away if you have any signs of infection, such as fever (100.5° or higher), chills, pain when passing urine, a new cough, or bringing up sputum.

This drug may lower your platelet count in the weeks after it is given, which can increase your risk of bleeding. Speak with your doctor before taking any drugs or supplements that might affect your body's ability to stop bleeding, such as aspirin or aspirin-containing medicines, warfarin (Coumadin), or vitamin E. Tell your doctor right away if you have unusual bruising, or bleeding such as nosebleeds, bleeding gums when you brush your teeth, or black, tarry stools.

This drug may lower your red blood cell count. If this occurs, it is usually a few months after starting treatment. A low red blood cell count (known as anemia) can cause shortness of breath, or make you to feel weak or tired all the time. Your doctor may give you medicines to help prevent or treat this condition, or you may need to get blood transfusions.

Do not get any immunizations (vaccinations), either during or after treatment with this drug, without your doctor's OK. This drug may affect your immune system, which could make vaccinations ineffective, or could even lead to serious infections. Try to avoid contact with people who have recently received a live virus vaccine, such as the oral polio vaccine or smallpox vaccine. Check with your doctor about this.

 
 
Possible side effects
  
  Common
  • decreased white blood cell count with increased risk of infection*
  • decreased platelet count with increased risk of bleeding*
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • loss of appetite
  • tiredness (fatigue)*
  • abnormal blood tests which suggest that the drug is affecting the liver (Your doctor will discuss the importance of this finding, if any.)
 
  Less common
  • diarrhea
  • sores in mouth or on lips
  • flu-like symptoms (headache, muscle aches, fever)
  • skin rash
  • swelling of hands, ankles, or face
  • hair loss or thinning
  • itching
 
  Rare
  • sedation (sleepiness or drowsiness)
  • numbness or tingling
  • trouble breathing or shortness of breath
  • allergic reaction

*See "Precautions" section for more detailed information.

 
 
There are other side effects not listed above that can also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor or nurse if you develop these or any other problems.
  
 
 
  FDA approval
Yes - first approved in 1996. 		 
 
 
  Disclaimer: This information does not cover all possible uses, actions, precautions, side effects, or interactions. It is not intended as medical advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for talking with your doctor, who is familiar with your medical needs.  


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