Centre Léon Bérard, Department of Medical Oncology, 28 Rue Laennec, 69008, Lyon, France

This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Gemcitabine, a deoxycytidine analogue, is an inhibitor of DNA synthesis. With myelosupression being its most serious toxicity, gemcitabine has, however, a favourable toxicity profile. It was tested in urothelial bladder cancer at different stages of the disease. In superficial Bacillus Calmette-GuErin (BCG)-resistant bladder cancer as well as in BCG-intolerant patients, intravesical gemcitabine instillation has demonstrated a significant activity. In the adjuvant setting, the combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) has proved to be a feasible protocol. In locally advanced and metastatic disease, GC is admitted as a standard alternative first-line regimen. Gemcitabine is also an interesting choice for unfit patients when used as a single treatment or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents as carboplatin or taxanes. This article reviews most of the studies performed in order to promote the usefulness of gemcitabine in bladder cancer.

Written by
El Karak F, Flechon A.

Reference
Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2007 Dec;8(18):3251-6
doi:10.1517/14656566.8.18.3251

PubMed Abstract
PMID:18035967

UroToday.com Bladder Cancer Section

Please log-in or register in order to submit comments.

Powered by AkoComment!