Fluorouracil
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|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˌflʊəroʊˈjʊərəsɪl/[1] |
| Trade names | Adrucil, others |
| AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
| MedlinePlus | a682708 |
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| Routes of administration | Intravenous, topical |
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| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Bioavailability | 28 to 100% |
| Protein binding | 8 to 12% |
| Metabolism | Intracellular and liver (CYP-mediated) |
| Elimination half-life | 16 minutes |
| Excretion | Kidney |
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.078 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C4H3FN2O2 |
| Molar mass | 130.078 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
| Melting point | 282–283 °C (540–541 °F) |
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Fluorouracil (5-FU, 5-fluorouracil), sold under the brand name Adrucil among others, is a cytotoxic chemotherapy medication used to treat cancer.[3] By intravenous injection it is used for treatment of colorectal cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer.[3] As a cream it is used for actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, and skin warts.[4][5]
Side effects of use by injection are common.[3] They may include inflammation of the mouth, loss of appetite, low blood cell counts, hair loss, and inflammation of the skin.[3] When used as a cream, irritation at the site of application usually occurs.[4] Use of either form in pregnancy may harm the fetus.[3] Fluorouracil is in the antimetabolite and pyrimidine analog families of medications.[6][7] How it works is not entirely clear, but it is believed to involve blocking the action of thymidylate synthase and thus stopping the production of DNA.[3]
Fluorouracil was patented in 1956 and came into medical use in 1962.[8] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[9] In 2022, it was the 270th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 900,000 prescriptions.[10][11]
- ^ "Fluorouracil – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ "TOLAK : Fluorouracil Cream : 4% (w/w) fluorouracil (as fluorouracil sodium)" (PDF). Pdf.hres.ca. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Fluorouracil". The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ a b "Fluorouracil topical". The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Archived from the original on 26 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Moore AY (2009). "Clinical applications for topical 5-fluorouracil in the treatment of dermatological disorders". The Journal of Dermatological Treatment. 20 (6): 328–335. doi:10.3109/09546630902789326. PMID 19954388. S2CID 218896998.
- ^ British national formulary : BNF 69 (69 ed.). British Medical Association. 2015. p. 590. ISBN 9780857111562.
- ^ Airley R (2009). Cancer Chemotherapy: Basic Science to the Clinic. John Wiley & Sons. p. 76. ISBN 9780470092569. Archived from the original on 5 November 2017.
- ^ Fischer J, Ganellin CR (2006). Analogue-based Drug Discovery. John Wiley & Sons. p. 511. ISBN 9783527607495. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017.
- ^ World Health Organization (2023). The selection and use of essential medicines 2023: web annex A: World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 23rd list (2023). Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/371090. WHO/MHP/HPS/EML/2023.02.
- ^ "The Top 300 of 2022". ClinCalc. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ "Fluorouracil Drug Usage Statistics, United States, 2013 - 2022". ClinCalc. Retrieved 30 August 2024.