paclitaxel + gemcitabine

Paclitaxel + gemcitabine is a combination chemotherapy regimen evaluated by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) in the Phase II trial E9897 for the treatment of refractory metastatic germ cell tumors. Paclitaxel is a small molecule taxane that works by binding to tubulin and stabilizing microtubules, thereby disrupting the normal dynamics of the mitotic spindle and inhibiting cell division. Gemcitabine is a nucleoside analog that acts as an antimetabolite; it is phosphorylated into active metabolites that compete with cytidine for incorporation into DNA, leading to chain termination, and also inhibits ribonucleotide reductase, depleting the pool of deoxynucleotides required for DNA synthesis. This combination was investigated as a salvage therapy for patients who failed prior platinum-based chemotherapy, showing a response rate of approximately 21% with acceptable toxicity.

Other names

paclitaxel-Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-germ cell tumorPaclitaxel and GemcitabineGemcitabine-PaclitaxelE9897 regimenE-9897 regimenE 9897 regimen