[Current status and future directions of gemcitabine in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer].
New agents with high anti-tumor effects have been developed since 1990. Monotherapy with one of these agents, gemcitabine, was confirmed to be as effective as the standard chemotherapy regimen against NSCLC, and to have a lower toxicity profile. In addition, the combination of gemcitabine plus cisplatin can be expected to show a survival advantage. The combination therapy consisting of these two new anti-cancer agents is expected to show effectiveness equal to that of platinum-based combination chemotherapy. Gemcitabine is well tolerated, so that it can be a useful treatment for maintaining QOL among the elderly or in poor performance status patients with NSCLC. Considering that this agent is also effective against pancreatic cancer, further investigation for efficacy against other cancers is warranted.
Yokoyama
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Dept. of Internal Medicine, Niigata Cancer Center Hospital.
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005544:Forecasting; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine