Fluorouracil (5-FU)
General information
Class/mechanism: Pyrimidine analog, antimetabolite, inhibitor of thymidylate synthase. Metabolized to 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine monophosphate (FdUMP) and 5-fluorouridine triphosphate (FUTP). FdUMP inhibits DNA synthesis by binding to thymidylate synthase and inhibiting production of thymidylate; FUTP interferes with RNA processing when it is mistakenly incorporated in place of uridine triphosphate (UTP).[1][2].
Route: IV
Extravasation: irritant
For conciseness and simplicity, HemOnc.org currently will focus on treatment regimens and not list information such as: renal/hepatic dose adjustments, metabolism (including CYP450), excretion, monitoring parameters (although this will be considered for checklists), or manufacturer. Instead, for the most current information, please refer to your preferred pharmacopeias such as Micromedex, Lexicomp, UpToDate (courtesy of Lexicomp), or the prescribing information.[1]
Diseases for which it is used
- Anal cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Carcinoma of unknown primary
- Cervical cancer
- Cholangiocarcinoma
- Colon cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Gastric cancer
- Head and neck cancer
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
- Pancreatic cancer
- Pancreatic NET
- Penile cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Rectal cancer
Diseases for which it was used
Patient drug information
- Fluorouracil (5-FU) Package Insert[3]
- Fluorouracil (5-FU) patient drug information (Chemocare)[4]
- Fluorouracil (5-FU) patient drug information (UpToDate)[5]
History of changes in FDA indication
- 4/25/1962: Initial FDA approval
Also known as
- Code name: Ro-2-9757
- Generic names: 5 Fluorouracil, 5 FU, 5-fluoracilo, 5-fluorouracilo, 5-fluorouracyl, FU
- Brand names:
Synonyms | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Accusite | Actino Hermal | Adrucil | Arumel | Benton | Biofur | Carac | Carebin |
Carzonal | Cinco-FU | Cinkef-U | Curacil | Effcil | Efudex | Efurix | Ezadex |
Fauldfluor | Fivocil | Fivoflu | Flacule | Flonida | Florac | Fluhomer | Fluolex |
Fluoroplex | Fluor-Uracil | Fluoro-Uracile ICN | Fluoro-Uracil ICN | Fluorouracile | Fluorouracilo | Fluorourcil | Fluoruracilo |
Fluoxan | Flurablastin | Flurac | Fluracedyl | Fluracil | Fluril | Fluroblastin | Fluroblastine |
Ftoruracil | Ftouracil | Haemato-FU | Ifacil | Kang Ning | Kecimeton Tatumi | Killit | Lunachol |
Lunapon | Natira U | Neofluor | O Fluor | Oncofu | Onkofluor | Pentafu | Pharmauracil |
Phthoruracil | Phtoruracil | Ribofluor | Rotianin | Satelol | Seco Uracil | Tecflu | Timadin |
Triosules | Uflahex | Ulosagen | Ulup | Uraciflor | Utoral | Vaflu | Vafu |
References
- Drugs
- Intravenous medications
- Topical medications
- Irritant
- Fluoropyrimidines
- Anal cancer medications
- Bladder cancer medications
- Breast cancer medications
- Carcinoma of unknown primary medications
- Cervical cancer medications
- Cholangiocarcinoma medications
- Colon cancer medications
- Esophageal cancer medications
- Gastric cancer medications
- Head and neck cancer medications
- Hepatocellular carcinoma medications
- Nasopharyngeal carcinoma medications
- Pancreatic cancer medications
- Pancreatic NET medications
- Penile cancer medications
- Prostate cancer medications
- Rectal cancer medications
- FDA approved in 1962
- WHO Essential Cancer Medicine