gemcitabine + taxane combination

Gemcitabine + taxane combination, often referred to as "Gem-Tax," "GemTaxol" (gemcitabine + paclitaxel), or "Gem/Doce" (gemcitabine + docetaxel), is a chemotherapy regimen used in the treatment of various cancers. Gemcitabine is an antimetabolite, a deoxycytidine analog that acts as a prodrug. Once phosphorylated, its active metabolites inhibit DNA synthesis by incorporating into DNA, leading to "masked termination" of DNA elongation, and by inhibiting ribonucleotide reductase. Paclitaxel and docetaxel are taxanes, which are antimicrotubule agents that interfere with microtubule structures inside cancer cells, thereby hindering cell replication and promoting cell death. This combination therapy works synergistically to destroy rapidly dividing cancer cells. It is administered intravenously for systemic treatment and intravesically for bladder cancer.

Brand names

GemzarTaxolTaxotere

Other names

gemcitabine and paclitaxelgemcitabine and docetaxel