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The Effect of 5-Fluoro Uracil in Chemotherapy

More commonly known as 5FU or fluorouracil, 5-Fluoro Uracil is a prescription drug that is available in intravenous and topical forms. Doctors commonly use fluorouracil in chemotherapy treatment for a variety of types of cancer.

  1. Function

    • Fluorouracil works by disrupting the process used to create thymidylic acid, a substance that serves as the building block for DNA in cancer cells. Without this type of acid, cancer cells are unable to multiply or spread, eventually causing them to die.

    Effects

    • Because it interferes with replication, fluorouracil is most effective at destroying cancers that grow quickly rather than slow-developing tumors.

    Types of Cancer

    • Doctors prescribe 5-fluoro uracil to treat a number of different types of cancer including some that affect the colon, breast, rectum, stomach, pancreas, anus, bladder, cervix, endometrium, ovaries, esophagus, head, neck, penis, prostate, skin and vulva.

    Side Effects

    • The most common side effects of intravenous fluorouracil include diarrhea, heartburn, sores on your mouth and lips, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, skin rashes and weakness. The side effects of topical fluorouracil are usually confined to the skin and include redness, burning, swelling, rashes, oozing and tenderness, reports the Mayo Clinic.

    Risks

    • Intravenous 5-Fluoro uracil poses a risk for a decrease in white blood cells, which makes you more susceptible to bacterial, viral and fungal infections, warns the Mayo Clinic. Some patients develop severe allergic reactions to the topical form of fluorouracil, cautions RxList.

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