Gemcitabine (Gemcitabine)
Overview of Gemcitabine
Gemcitabine is antineoplastic agent, also called as anticancer drug. Gemcitabine is used in the treatment of different cancers such as in palliative treatment of non-small cell lung cancer to slow or stop the growth of abnormal cells. Gemcitabine is used in combination with different anticancer drugs to obtain best therapeutic effects and to reduce toxicity or side effects. It is a pyrimidine antimetabolite used in treatment of solid tumours. It is an analog of eytidine.
Indication of Gemcitabine
Gemcitabine is primarily indicated in conditions like Breast cancer, Head and neck cancer, Locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer, Lung cancer, Lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Treatment of locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Contraindication of Gemcitabine
No data regarding the contra indications of Gemcitabine is available.
Side Effects of Gemcitabine
Gemcitabine produces potentially life-threatening effects which include Thrombocytopenia, Used with radical radiotherapy, Pneumonitis, Leukopenia. which are responsible for the discontinuation of Gemcitabine therapy.,The symptomatic adverse reactions produced by Gemcitabine are more or less tolerable and if they become severe, they can be treated symptomatically, these include Alopecia, Fever, Constipation, Rashes, StomatitisX, Nausea and vomiting, Thrombocytopenia, Neutropenia, Edema, Anemia, Leukopenia, Pulmonary firbrosis, Alopecia, Oedema, Pruritis, Flu like symptoms, Dypnoea.
Precautions of Gemcitabine
Gemcitabine is not recommended for use during pregnancy or lactation. Immunosuppressent drug should not be given, where possible, to patients with acute infection, dosage reduction or withdrawal should be considered if infection develops, until the infection has been controlled. Blood counts and measurement of hemoglobin concentration should be carried out routinely, help to predict the onset of bone marrow depression. It may cause fever. Discontinue if scure pulmonary toxicity ocurs. Use with caution in hepatic impairement, renal impairement, concurnet radiotheraphy.