gemcitabine + erlotinib

Gemcitabine + erlotinib is a chemotherapy combination used primarily for the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer. The regimen consists of two drugs: - Gemcitabine hydrochloride, a nucleoside analog that inhibits DNA synthesis, leading to cell death. - Erlotinib hydrochloride, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor that blocks EGFR signaling pathways involved in cancer cell proliferation and survival. Erlotinib works by inhibiting the kinase activity of EGFR on the surface of both normal and cancerous cells. Overexpression or mutation of EGFR can drive tumor growth; blocking this pathway slows or stops tumor progression. This combination was approved based on evidence showing improved overall survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer compared to gemcitabine alone[1][2][8].

Brand names

Tarceva + Gemzar

Other names

gemcitabine-erlotinib regimengemcitabine-Tarceva regimen