[Fluorinated pyrimidines in oral treatment of advanced colorectal cancer].
BACKGROUND
For several years, fluorinated pyrimidines have been used in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer, mainly in the form of intravenous injections of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), alone or in combination with leucovorin. Oral treatment with 5-FU has been difficult because of high toxicity and low bioavailability.


RESULTS
Increased knowledge of the metabolism of 5-FU, reviewed in this article, has led to the development of a number of new oral drugs for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. Administration of prodrugs and inhibitors of 5-FU-catabolic enzymes has led to stable and high levels of active drug. Several drugs have shown promising results in new clinical trials.


CONCLUSIONS
New 5-FU related drugs for oral administration show results comparable to those of the cytotoxic drugs that have been administered in hospital. In the future, general practitioners could possibly treat and follow up a larger proportion of these patients.
Todnem
K
K
Senter for klinisk molekylaermedisin, Haukeland Sykehus, Bergen.
Harboe
K
K
Zotova
L
L
Lind
A
A
Ogreid
D
D
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069287:Capecitabine; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D042943:Dihydrouracil Dehydrogenase (NADP); D004338:Drug Combinations; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D011355:Prodrugs; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005641:Tegafur / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014498:Uracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011355:Prodrugs; D011743:Pyrimidines; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D005641:Tegafur; C073482:eniluracil; D014498:Uracil; D000069287:Capecitabine; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D042943:Dihydrouracil Dehydrogenase (NADP); D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil