The U.S. FDA approved Gemcitabine as a chemotherapeutic anticancer medication to treat bladder, breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and non-small cell lung cancers on 10th January 1995.

Gemcitabine has been developed to treat ovarian cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer in patients who have failed to respond to previous therapies.

Gemcitabine is available for administration as an intravenous infusion that is injected through the veins of patients with ovarian, breast, and non-small cell lung cancer. Your physician will choose the dosage and administration frequency based on your medical condition and type of cancer because it differs for each person.

The common side effects that are likely to occur while you are on the treatment with Gemcitabine are nausea, vomiting, increased liver enzymes (AST, ALT), rashes, blood in urine, swelling of ankles, neutropenia, increased alkaline phosphatase, proteinuria, feet and fingers, insomnia, constipation, diarrhea headache runny nose, and chills.  If you experience any allergic or unusual reactions after taking this medicine, report them to your doctor immediately.

It is not recommended to take a Gemcitabine injection if you are allergic to Gemcitabine or any of its ingredients. During the Gemcitabine treatment, your doctor may periodically monitor your complete blood counts, blood sugar, electrolytes, liver panel, and kidney parameters to prevent serious complications. Report to your doctor if you have been diagnosed with stomach ulcers, lung disease, or problems in your heart, liver, skin or kidneys. Inform your doctor if you received radiotherapy recently, as it may lead to severe life-threatening reactions.

Precautions: Gemcitabine injection may impair fertility in male patients. Gemcitabine is not recommended during pregnancy as it causes harm to the unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider before beginning this treatment if you are pregnant or planning to have a baby. Avoid breastfeeding your baby while on the treatment and for 1 week after the last dose of Gemcitabine.

It is advised for both men and women to follow proper contraceptive methods during and for 6 months after the last dose of Gemcitabine. Inform your doctor immediately, if you experience any infection-related symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, rash, or severe diarrhea. Notify your doctor, if you have hypersensitivity because people with this condition are contraindicated to this medicine. 

1. Goodman & Gilman’s, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, Cytotoxic agents, 12th edition, 2011, 1700.
2. KD Tripathi, Essentials of Medical Pharmacology, Anticancer drugs, 7th edition, 2013, 870.
3. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Electronic medicines compendium (emc), [ Revised on May 2022] [ Accessed on 20 Mar 2023], https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.7298.pdf
4. Hospira, Inc, US Food and Drug Administration, [ Revised on June 2019 [ Accessed on 20 Mar 2023], https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/020509s077lbl.pdf

The drug information on this page is not a substitute for medical advice, it is meant for educational purposes only. For further details consult your doctor about your medical condition to know if you are eligible to receive this treatment.