Gemcitabine toxicity

Primarily myelosuppression occurs, mainly as neutropenia. Pulmonary toxicity has been observed Antimetabolites are structurally related to normal compounds that exist within the cell. They generally interfere with the availability of normal purine or pyrimidine nucleotide precursors, either by inhibiting their synthesis or by competing with them in DNA or RNA synthesis. Their maximal cytotoxic effects are in S-phase (and are, therefore, cell-cycle specific).Myelosuppression is the dose-limiting toxicity of gemcitabine. Other toxicities include nausea, vomiting, alopecia, rash, and a flu-like syndrome. Transient elevations of serum transaminases, proteinuria, and hematuria are common