Gemcitabine treatment enhances the activity of deoxycytidine kinase in periferial lymphocytes of patients with pancreatic cancer

Introduction: Gemcitabine (2', 2'-difluorodeoxycytidine, dFdC) has shown significant preclinical and clinical activity against several human solid tumors, including pancreatic cancer. Deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) is the key enzyme in the bioactivation of gemcitabine. In the present work the activity of dCK prior to and following gemcitabine treatment in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer has been evaluated. Methods: 11 patients with verified pancreatic cancer were treated with gemcitabine (1000mg/m2 in 30 minutes) plus 5-fluorouracil (600mg/m2 in 120 minutes) modulated with folinic acid, once a week througho…