title: Gemcitabine: metabolism and molecular mechanisms of action, sensitivity and chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer.
abstract: Gemcitabine is the first-line treatment for pancreatic adenocarcinoma, but is increasingly used to treat breast, bladder, and non-small cell lung cancers. Despite such broad use, intrinsic and acquired chemoresistance is common. In general, the underlying mechanisms of chemoresistance are poorly understood. Here, current knowledge of gemcitabine metabolism, mechanisms of action, sensitivity and chemoresistance reported over the past two decades are reviewed; and we also offer new perspectives to improve gemcitabine efficacy with particular reference to the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tecnologia Bioquímico-Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Sousa Cavalcante
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tecnologia Bioquímico-Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: smgisele@usp.br.
authors.forename: Gisele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
keywords: Chemoresistance; Gemcitabine resistance; Molecular targets; NFκB; Pancreatic tumor