Time and vehicle studies of a safe and effective method for administration of 5-fluorouracil

✍ Scribed by Thomas C. Hall; John A. Cavins; Christiaan L. Khung; C. Thomas Griffiths; Margarida M. Dederick; William J. Yount

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1966
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 333 KB
• Volume: 19
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(196607)19:7<1008::aid-cncr2820190715>3.0.co;2-4

✦ Synopsis

Eighty-seven patients with histologically proven cancer were given a course of 5-fluorouracil to study the effect of time of infusion and of 5% glucose i n regard to toxicity and antitumor effectiveness. T h e over-all response rate of 25% was unrelated to time of infusion or vehicle and compares favorably with that reported for more toxic methods of administration. Beneficial effect was not dependent upon the production of systemic drug toxicity: the data suggest that, when response is slow, a significant number of patients may be forced to discontinue the drug because of toxicity before sufficient time is allowed for response. The frequency and degree of toxicity encountered with 5-FU infusions was lower than that noted following courses of undiluted drug. Infusion of 5-FU in the regimen tested seems a safe and effective method of drug administration which can be used widely on an ambulatory basis.

HE EFFECTIVENESS OF 5-FLUOROUKACIL (5-T F U ) in the treatment of advanced cancer of the breast has been documented in numerous reports. I n cancer of the colon it is the only current drug with significant therapeutic eflect. However, the marked and frequently unpredictable gastro-intestinal and marrow toxic i t y encountered when it is given by short ____