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Treatment of cancer with weekly intravenous 5‐fluorouracil
Author(s) -
Jacobs Edwin M.,
Luce James K.,
Wood David A.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(196811)22:6<1233::aid-cncr2820220621>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - medicine , toxicity , fluorouracil , ambulatory , drug , cancer , intravenous infusions , anesthesia , surgery , pharmacology
5‐Flourouracil is usually administered by rapid intravenous injection of 15 mg/kg daily for 3 to 5 days and 7.5 mg/kg every 2 or 3 days to toxicity, repeated monthly (antitumor response about 10–30%). Drug morbidity and mortality have been excessive. Modifications of this course have shown similar response rates but decreased toxicity and mortality. In the present study, 129 patients with disseminated cancer were treated weekly with 5‐fluorouracil, without a loading dose, by rapid intravenous injection, beginning at 15 mg/kg/wk for 1 month, increased to 20 mg/kg/wk (if necessary) to levels producing mild toxicity or an antitumor effect. Thirty patients had an objective remission (23.3% of the total 129, and 33% of the 91 adequately treated). Thirty‐eight patients showed no drug toxicity, 75 mild, 14 moderate, and two severe toxicity. There were no drug deaths. This course enabled patients to be treated safely on an ambulatory basis.