pancreatic cancer

A kinase is an enzyme that promotes cell growth. There are many types of kinases, which control different phases of cell growth. By blocking a particular enzyme from working, this medication can slow the growth of cancer cells.

Erlotinib is a small molecule drug that inhibits tyrosine kinase, an enzyme associated with the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In some cancers, this receptor is overactive, causing cells to grow and divide too fast. By inhibiting EGFR, erlotinib prevents the uncontrolled growth of cells that contributes to tumor growth. Your oncology team will test your tumor for this abnormality, which must be present in order to receive the medication.

Gemcitabine is a type of medication called an “antimetabolite.” Antimetabolites affect the DNA of cancer cells, leading to the slowing or stopping of cancer. Since cancer cells divide faster and with less error-correcting than healthy cells, cancer cells are more sensitive to this damage than normal cells.

An antimetabolite medication affects how DNA is made in cells. Cancer cells divide faster and with less error correction than healthy cells, making them more sensitive to these effects.

Fluorouracil changes how cancer cells make and use DNA and RNA. Fluorouracil prevents cancer cells from making important proteins, which causes cell death and can slow or stop cancer from growing.