Gemkabi
Gemkabi is an anticancer medicine that works by stopping cancer cells from dividing and growing.
Form
infuusiokonsentraatti, liuosta varten
Strength
38 mg/ml
Active Ingredient
Gemcitabine
Manufacturer
Fresenius Kabi AB
How to Use
Dosage
The typical dose is 1000-1250 mg per square meter of your body surface. Your doctor will calculate your exact dose based on your height and weight, and may adjust it based on your blood tests or health.
Method
This medicine is given as an infusion into a vein after being diluted. The infusion usually takes about 30 minutes.
Important
Your doctor will determine your maximum daily dose individually based on your condition and response to treatment.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Bleeding from gums, nose, mouth, or any bleeding that doesn't stop; red or reddish urine; unexpected bruises (due to lower than normal platelet counts).
- •Fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, paleness (due to lower than normal hemoglobin).
- •Mild to moderate rash, itching, or fever (these can be allergic reactions).
- •Body temperature of 38 °C or higher, sweating, or other signs of infection (due to lower white blood cell counts, known as febrile neutropenia).
- •Pain, redness, swelling, or sores in the mouth (stomatitis).
- •Breathing difficulties (mild ones are common shortly after infusion and pass quickly).
- •Low white blood cell counts.
- •Vomiting.
- •Nausea.
- •Hair loss.
- •Abnormal liver function test results.
- •Blood in urine.
- •Abnormal urine test results; protein in urine.
- •Flu-like symptoms such as fever.
- •Swelling of ankles, fingers, feet, or face (edema).
- •Loss of appetite (anorexia).
- •Headache.
- •Insomnia.
- •Drowsiness.
- •Cough.
- •Runny nose.
- •Constipation.
- •Diarrhea.
- •Itching.
- •Sweating.
- •Muscle pain.
- •Back pain.
- •Weakness.
- •Chills.
- •Infections.
RARE
- •Heart rhythm disorders.
- •Extreme fatigue and weakness, purple spots or small bleeding areas on the skin (bruises), sudden kidney failure (reduced or no urine output), signs of infection. These could be signs of thrombotic microangiopathy and hemolytic uremic syndrome.
- •Severe lung problems.
- •Severe chest pain (heart attack).
- •Severe allergic reactions with severe rash, swelling of hands, feet, ankles, face, lips, mouth or throat (which can cause difficulty swallowing and breathing), wheezing, rapid heartbeat, and feeling faint (anaphylactic reaction).
- •General swelling, shortness of breath, or weight gain, which can be signs of fluid leaking from small blood vessels (capillary leak syndrome).
- •Headache with vision changes, confusion, and seizures (posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome).
- •Severe rash and itching, blistering or peeling of the skin (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis).
- •Red, scaly, widespread rash with nodules under swollen skin (including folds, trunk, and upper limbs) and blisters with fever (acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis).
- •Scarring of lung air sacs (interstitial pneumonitis).
- •Wheezing (bronchial spasms).
- •Lung scarring (abnormal findings on chest X-rays or imaging).
- •Heart failure.
- •Kidney failure.
- •Severe liver damage, including liver failure.
- •Stroke.
- •Low blood pressure.
- •Skin peeling, sores or blisters on the skin.
- •Sunburn-like rash on skin previously exposed to radiation (radiation recall).
- •Injection site reactions.
- •Severe lung inflammation causing breathing failure (Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome).
- •Fluid accumulation in the lungs.
- •Scarring of lung air sacs due to radiation therapy (radiation toxicity).
- •Gangrene of fingers and toes.
- •Blood vessel inflammation (peripheral vasculitis).
- •High platelet counts.
- •Inflammation of the colon lining due to insufficient blood flow (ischemic colitis).
- •Low hemoglobin (anemia), low white blood cell and platelet counts found in blood tests.
- •Thrombotic microangiopathy: blood clot formation in small blood vessels.
- •Blood poisoning (sepsis): bacteria and their toxins circulate in the blood and start damaging organs.
- •A condition resembling skin infection (pseudocellulitis): skin is red and swollen.
Important Warnings
- Do not use Gemkabi if you are allergic to gemcitabine or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not use this medicine if you are breastfeeding.
- You will have blood tests before and during treatment to check your kidney and liver function and blood cell counts.
- Tell your doctor if you have or have had liver, heart, blood vessel, or kidney problems.
- Inform your doctor if you have had or will have radiation therapy, as it can cause skin reactions.
Show 4 more warnings
- Tell your doctor if you have recently been vaccinated, as this medicine may cause bad effects.
- Gemcitabine should not be used during pregnancy. Women of childbearing age must use effective contraception during treatment and for 6 months after the last dose.
- Men should not father children during treatment and for 3 months after. Use effective contraception during this time.
- This medicine may cause drowsiness, especially if you drink alcohol. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you.