title: Phase I trial of uracil-tegafur (UFT) plus oral leucovorin: 28-day schedule.
abstract: UFT [Taiho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan; (BMS-200604), Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ], a fluorouracil prodrug, is an oral 4:1 molar concentration of uracil plus tegafur. This study examined the dose-limiting toxic effects and maximum tolerated dose of UFT plus leucovorin administered for 28 consecutive days followed by a 7-day rest period. A course of therapy was repeated every 35 days. UFT dose levels examined were 200 mg/m2/day, with planned escalations to 250, 300, 350, and 400 mg/m2/day; the leucovorin dose remained at 150 mg/day. Three patients were initially enrolled at each UFT dose level. The total daily doses of both UFT and leucovorin were divided into three doses administered every 8 hr. Diarrhea became the dose-limiting toxicity at 400 mg/m2/day UFT, with grade 3 diarrhea noted in 2 of the 3 patients receiving that dose. To further define a phase II UFT starting dose, 3 additional patients were entered at the 350 mg/m2 level; 3 of the 6 patients treated at this level developed grade 3 nonhematological toxic effects. No partial or complete responses were observed. The recommended phase II UFT starting dose is 300 mg/m2/day plus 150 mg/day leucovorin. Since neutropenia, significant mucositis, and "hand-foot syndrome" were not observed with UFT plus leucovorin, the toxicity profile of this regimen appears favorable compared with that of intravenous regimens of fluorouracil plus leucovorin. This phase I trial of UFT served as the basis for a phase II trial, current phase III trials, and a national adjuvant therapy trial of UFT for high-risk colon cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medicine, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pazdur
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lassere
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Diaz-Canton
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014498:Uracil / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D005641:Tegafur; D014498:Uracil; D002955:Leucovorin