Gemcitabine brands and prices in Pakistan

About Gemcitabine

Gemcitabine is a chemotherapy (cancer) medicine. It is a cytotoxic medicine, which means it kills cells that are dividing, including cancer cells, and slows or stops the growth of cancer. It can be given on its own or together with other cancer medicines. It is a hospital medicine: it is started and given by cancer specialists, as a drip into a vein, by a doctor or nurse in a medical facility.

Who should not take it, or should take care

• It should not be given to anyone allergic to gemcitabine or any ingredient in it.
• Tell your team if you have or have had liver, kidney, heart or blood vessel disease.
• Tell your team if you have had, or are going to have, radiotherapy, or have been vaccinated recently. Avoid live vaccines (for example measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, BCG, yellow fever) during treatment. Non-live vaccines such as flu and COVID-19 are generally allowed but may work less well.
• Tell your team if you have ever had a severe skin reaction to gemcitabine.
• Blood tests are done before and during treatment to check blood counts, kidneys and liver. Your doctor may change or delay treatment.
• Pregnancy: it may harm an unborn baby and should be avoided. Women need effective contraception, and men and their partners should also use it during treatment and for a period afterwards. Tell the team straight away if you or your partner become pregnant.
• Breastfeeding: it must be stopped during treatment.
• Fertility: treatment may reduce fertility, especially in men. Ask the team about storing sperm, eggs or ovarian tissue before starting.
• Heavy alcohol use is worth mentioning to your team.
• It can cause sleepiness, especially with alcohol. Do not drive or use machines until you know how it affects you.

Medicines and drinks that can interact

• The leaflets do not list particular medicines, so tell your cancer team and pharmacist about everything you take: prescription and shop-bought medicines, vitamins and herbal products.
• Cancer Research UK says some foods and drinks can interact with it. Grapefruit is given as an example.
• Live vaccines should be avoided during treatment.
• It is often given together with other cancer medicines (carboplatin, cisplatin or paclitaxel), chosen by your specialist.

Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about every medicine, supplement and herbal product you take.

Using it safely

• Keep a written list of all your medicines and take it to appointments and the hospital.
• Keep your blood test and hospital appointments. Your team uses them to decide whether to go ahead with or delay treatment.
• Know how to contact your cancer team or hospital if you feel unwell, especially with a fever, and follow their advice.
• Unless your doctor says otherwise, you can eat your normal diet.
• Report side effects to your team. They can often help with sickness, mouth sores and other problems.
• Gemcitabine is prepared and handled by hospital staff. Do not try to get it any other way.

Common questions

Who gives gemcitabine?
A doctor or nurse gives it as a drip into a vein in a medical facility. It is started and supervised by cancer specialists.

Will I lose my hair?
Hair loss is a very common side effect of gemcitabine, but it does not happen to everyone. Ask your team what to expect.

Can I have vaccines during treatment?
Live vaccines should be avoided. Cancer Research UK says non-live vaccines such as flu and COVID-19 are generally allowed but may be less effective. Check with your team first.

Can I get pregnant or father a child during treatment?
Gemcitabine may harm an unborn baby, so effective contraception is needed during treatment and for a period afterwards. Ask your team how long, and about fertility storage before you start.

Why do I need so many blood tests?
Gemcitabine can lower your blood cell counts and affect the kidneys and liver. Blood tests let the team check this and adjust or delay treatment if needed.

Prepared from the sources listed by the MedInfoBase team. General information, not medical advice: it gives no doses. Your doctor or pharmacist decides the medicine and dose for you.