title: Life-threatening toxicity of oral tegafur-uracil (UFT) plus leucovorin.
abstract: UFT. a a combination of tegafur and uracil, is increasingly used in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies. We report on a life-threatening toxicity observed in a 74-year-old female while undergoing adjuvant treatment with oral UFT plus leucovorm for adenocarcinoma of the rectum. The patient developed grade 4 thrombocytopenia, grade 4 neutropenia, grade 3 infection, grade 3 neurotoxicity and grade 2 cutaneous toxicity. This oral double-agent regimen should be used with caution in the adjuvant treatment of elderly patients with gastro-intestinal malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Hospital General Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ribas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vera
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casado
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bellmunt
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D014498:Uracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D005641:Tegafur; D014498:Uracil; D002955:Leucovorin