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Generic Name: Fluorouracil (5-fluorouracil or 5-FU)
Brand Name(s): Carac® cream, Efudex®, Fluoroplex®, Adrucil®
IUPAC: 5-fluoro-1H-pyrimidine-2,4-dione
FDA Approval: yes
Manufacturer Link
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Usage: 5-FU may be applied to the skin as a cream to treat actinic keratoses and basal cell carcinomas (a type of skin cancer) that arise on a the skin due to chronic (long-term) sun exposure and sun damage. These keratoses often provide a warning flag for possible development of melanoma. For this reason, 5-FU may be used as a preventative measure in these cases. In addition to its role in cancer treatment, 5-FU may be used to prevent scarring in patients undergoing surgery for glaucoma. As with most
chemotherapy agents, there are a variety of ways to receive 5-FU treatment. It may be given through injection (IV), taken orally, or applied via a cream. Dosages vary and depend upon many factors including the type and location of the cancer and the health and age of the patient.
(1)(2)
Mechanism: 5-FU functions by inhibiting
DNA and
RNA metabolism in dividing cells. Since normal cells are also dividing, they may be killed by the treatment. The death of normal cells produces many of the side effects experienced by patients receiving 5-FU.
Side Effects: Common side effects include tiredness, nausea and diarrhea, drop in bone marrow function-possibly leading to anemia increased tendency to bruise, mouth sores, pigmentation (color) changes in the skin. Less common side effects include: eye 'grittiness' or blurred vision, hair thinning, loss of appetite, rashes, and soreness of the palms and soles of the feet.
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