Fluorouracil (5-FU or f5U) (Adrucil, Efudex, Fluoroplex) is a pyrimidine analog, which is used as a drug in the treatment of cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called antimetabolites. It is typically administered with leucovorin.
The chemotherapy agent 5-FU (fluorouracil), which has been in use against cancer for about 40 years, acts in several ways, but principally as a thymidylate synthase inhibitor. Interrupting the action of this enzym...
more
Fluorouracil (5-FU or f5U) (Adrucil, Efudex, Fluoroplex) is a pyrimidine analog, which is used as a drug in the treatment of cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called antimetabolites. It is typically administered with leucovorin.
The chemotherapy agent 5-FU (fluorouracil), which has been in use against cancer for about 40 years, acts in several ways, but principally as a thymidylate synthase inhibitor. Interrupting the action of this enzyme blocks synthesis of the pyrimidine thymidine, which is a nucleotide required for DNA replication. Thymidylate synthase methylates deoxyuridine monophosphate (dUMP) into thymidine monophosphate (dTMP).
Like many anti-cancer drugs, 5-FU's effects are felt system wide but fall most heavily upon rapidly dividing cells that make heavy use of their nucleotide synthesis machinery, such as cancer cells (other parts of the body with rapidly dividing cells include the cells lining the digestive tract).
Some of its principal use is in colorectal cancer...
less
