About gemcitabine hcl
Antimetabolite chemotherapy (pyrimidine analogue)
Used for
- Pancreatic cancer
- Non-small-cell lung cancer
- Breast cancer
- Ovarian or bladder cancer
Usual adult dose
Usually 800–1,250 mg/m² by intravenous infusion, on schedules determined by cancer type and combination treatment.
Common side effects
- Low blood cell counts
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- Fever or flu-like symptoms
Important warnings
- Can cause serious infections or bleeding from low blood counts.
- Rarely causes severe lung, liver, kidney, or blood-vessel complications.
- Requires blood-count and organ-function monitoring.
- Administered by specialist teams; dose depends on cancer and treatment plan.
Pregnancy
May harm an unborn baby. Avoid pregnancy during treatment; discuss contraception with the oncology team.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment and for at least one week after the final dose.
Interactions
- Radiotherapy may increase tissue injury and toxicity.
- Other medicines that suppress bone marrow can increase blood-count problems.
- Tell the oncology team about all medicines and vaccines.
AI-generated from general medical knowledge, not from this product's official leaflet. It may be incomplete or out of date. Not medical advice — ask a pharmacist or doctor before making any decision.