Figure 1.

Drug concentrations required to induce the 50% apoptotic cells (IC₅₀) in culture. MIA PaCa2, CFPAC-1 and Capan-1 pancreatic cancer cell lines were treated with gemcitabine (GEM), fluorouracil (5-FU), docetaxel (DCT), oxaliplatin (OXP), irinotecan (CPT-11), pemetrexed (PMX) and raltitrexed (RTX) for 48 h with different concentration (0.001–100 μM). Data are expressed as median of 12 experiments. The plasma maximum concentration of the drugs (C_max) as described by human pharmacokinetics studies (Abbruzzese et al, 1991; Burris et al, 1993; Extra et al, 1993; Pazdur et al, 1993; Rothenberg et al, 1993; Clarke et al, 1996; Chabot, 1997; Hui and Reitz, 1997; Beale et al, 1998; Gamelin et al, 1998; Judson et al, 1998; O'Dwyer et al, 1999; Rinaldi, 1999; Culy et al, 2000; Jodrell et al, 2001) was also reported. Red colour-filled symbol: IC₅₀>C_max; green colour-filled symbol: IC₅₀< C_max.