title: A rapid and simple HPLC assay for quantification of capecitabine for drug monitoring purposes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Capecitabine, a 5-fluorouracil prodrug, has been integrated into the management of multiple cancer types. In order to obtain information about plasma levels of capecitabine in patients who had drug intake at home during chemotherapy, a simple HPLC method for capecitabine monitoring has been developed and validated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Capecitabine levels were quantified by a simple reversed-phase HPLC system with an external standard method. Plasma samples were obtained from 12 colorectal cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy with capecitabine alone (1000 mg/m(2)) or combined with oxaliplatin (130 mg/m(2)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although there was evidence that capecitabine had not been taken according to the chemotherapeutic schedule in two cases, the study demonstrated that its combination with oxaliplatin showed no significant drug-drug interactions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to its robustness, specificity and sensitivity, the method is also well-suited for capecitabine analysis in other pharmacokinetic studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Diagnostics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. andre.farkouh@univie.ac.at
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farkouh
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ettlinger
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schueller
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Georgopoulos
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Scheithauer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Czejka
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002138:Calibration; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004355:Drug Stability; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000077150:Oxaliplatin
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil