gemcitabine + rapamycin

A combination therapy consisting of gemcitabine, a nucleoside analog that acts as an antimetabolite, and rapamycin (sirolimus), an mTOR inhibitor. This combination demonstrates synergistic effects in cancer treatment, particularly for pancreatic cancer and certain sarcomas. Gemcitabine inhibits DNA synthesis and causes cell cycle arrest at the S phase, while rapamycin inhibits the mTOR pathway, affecting cell growth, proliferation, and survival. Studies show that gemcitabine induces mTOR pathway hyperactivation, which rapamycin effectively counteracts, leading to enhanced anticancer effects.

Other names

gemcitabine + sirolimus