[Capecitabine: an oral chemotherapeutic agent against metastatic breast and colorectal cancer].
Capecitabine is the first drug in a new fluoropyrimidine class that offers distinct characteristics. On one hand its oral administration mimics continuous fluorouracil infusion while remaining convenient with higher patient acceptance and compliance rates and avoiding intravenous administration-associated complications and financial costs. On other hand it provides intra-tumour selective activation, thus potentially facilitating local management and therefore improved anti-tumour activity as well as reduced systemic toxicity. The concentration of thymidine phosphorylase an enzyme essential for capecitabine activation in tumour cells increases after exposure to cytotoxics such as taxanes, cyclophosphamide, gemcitabine or vinorelbine, which results in synergistic activity. It has been tried both as monotherapy and in combination with other chemotherapy agentsâboth in first-line regimes and in previously treated patients against metastatic colorectal and breast cancer, results being very good in terms of efficacy and tolerability.
Calzas Rodríguez
J
J
Servicio de Oncología Médica. Hospital General Yagüe. Burgos. Spain. julia_calzas@hotmail.com
de la Nogal Fernández
B
B
Arrieta Garmendia
J M
JM
Lastra Aras
E
E
García Castaño
A
A
Barrio Gil-Fournier
A
A
García Girón
C
C
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil