Oral fluoropyrimidines in colorectal cancer: a door open to the future?
Since its first use 40 years ago, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has become an unquestionable component of colorectal cancer treatment. It is also now well established that infusional 5-FU administration, in combination with leucovorin, is associated with better tolerance and at least equal efficacy than bolus administration. However, requiring catheter and infusion pumps, infusional 5-FU administration is costly, rather inconvenient for patients and potentially associated with morbidity, initiating subsequent oral chemotherapy development. To address intravenous 5-FU related issues, oral fluoropyrimidines have been developed such as capecitabine, preferentially converted to 5-FU into tumour cells, and UFT, able of bypassing intestinal dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase. We discuss in this article current oral fluoropyrimidines achievements in colorectal cancer management.
Delaunoit
Th
T
Gastroenterology Department, Jules Bordet Institute, Brussels, Belgium. thierry.delaunoit@bordet.be
Neczyporenko
F
F
Hendlisz
A
A
Eisendrath
P
P
Bleiberg
H
H
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil