title: Pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FUra) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer receiving 5-FUra bolus plus continuous infusion with high dose folinic acid (LV5FU2).
abstract: The pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FUra) were investigated in 16 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer receiving high-dose folinic acid (LV 200 mg/m2) followed by 5-FUra bolus (400 mg/m2) and continuous infusion (600 mg/m2) on days 1 and 2. Quantitation of unchanged drug was assessed by a highly specific high-performance liquid chromatographic method. The concentrations of 5-FUra at the end of the loading dose averaged 30.7 +/- 13.2 micrograms/ml (i.e., 236 microM). The steady-state plasma concentration averaged 0.31 +/- 0.11 microgram/ml (i.e., 2.4 microM). 5-FUra plasma levels declined rapidly after the end of infusion with an apparent elimination half-life of 7.08 +/- 3.21 minutes. Clearance ranged from 776 to 3023 ml/min/m2. Large patient-to-patient variations in plasma 5-FUra concentrations were observed. No toxicity greater than WHO grade 2 was seen. One patient experienced grade 1 stomatitis and two others experienced grade 1 and 2 myelosuppression. One patient developed diarrhoea and another suffered asthenia. Nausea and vomiting were observed in 5 patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Onco-Pharmacologie, Centre Regional de Lutte contre le cancer, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Joulia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pinguet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ychou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duffour
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Topart
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Grosse
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Astre
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bressolle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil