Safety of capecitabine: a review.
BACKGROUND
Fluoropyrimidines, in particular 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), have been the mainstay of treatment for several solid tumors, including colorectal, breast and head and neck cancers, for > 40 years.


METHODS
This article reviews the pharmacology and efficacy of capecitabine with a special emphasis on its safety.


RESULTS
The reader will gain better insight into the safety of capecitabine in special populations such as patients with advanced age, renal and kidney disease. We also explore different dosing and schedules of capecitabine administration.


CONCLUSIONS
Capecitabine is an oral prodrug of 5-FU and was developed to fulfill the need for a more convenient therapy and provide an improved safety/efficacy profile. It has shown promising results alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents in colorectal, breast, pancreaticobiliary, gastric, renal cell and head and neck cancers. The most commonly reported toxic effects of capecitabine are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomatitis and hand-foot syndrome. Capecitabine has a well-established safety profile and can be given safely to patients with advanced age, hepatic and renal dysfunctions.
Mikhail
Sameh E
SE
Georgetown University Hospital, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hematology Oncology, 3800 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
Sun
Jun F
JF
Marshall
John L
JL
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D006932:Hyperbilirubinemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil