Pancreatic Cancer Medication
- Author: Tomislav Dragovich, MD, PhD; Chief Editor: Jules E Harris, MD more...
Medication Summary
The most active single agents for pancreatic cancer have been 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and gemcitabine. Gemcitabine appears to be slightly more active than 5-FU. Objective responses, meaning actual regression of tumor, have been 20% or less.
Antineoplastic agents
Class Summary
These agents inhibit cell growth and proliferation. They are used for chemotherapy.
Gemcitabine (Gemzar)
A frequently quoted trial showed a small, but statistically significant, improvement in overall survival with gemcitabine versus 5-FU (5.7 vs 4.4 mo). Additionally, gemcitabine improved the quality of life in approximately 25% of patients.
Fluorouracil (Adrucil, Efudex, Fluoroplex)
This is a fluorinated pyrimidine antimetabolite that inhibits thymidylate synthase (TS) and also interferes with ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis and function. Fluorouracil has some effect on DNA and is useful in symptom palliation for patients with progressive disease. It is commonly used in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies. Response rates are typically less than 20% in pancreatic cancer.
Erlotinib (Tarceva)
This agent is pharmacologically classified as a human epidermal growth factor receptor type 1/epidermal growth factor receptor (HER1/EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor. EGFR is expressed on the cell surface of normal cells and cancer cells. Erlotinib is has been approved by the FDA for use, in combination with gemcitabine, as a first-line treatment for locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Capecitabine (Xeloda)
Capecitabine is a prodrug of fluorouracil that undergoes hydrolysis in liver and tissues to form the active moiety (fluorouracil), inhibiting thymidylate synthetase, which in turn blocks methylation of deoxyuridylic acid to thymidylic acid. This step interferes with DNA, and to a lesser degree with RNA synthesis.
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