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Fluorouracil
Chemical name: Fluorouracil, also called 5-fluorouracil or 5-FU
Brand name: Adrucil
Class: Antimetabolite chemotherapy. Gemzar, methotrexate, and Xeloda are other antimetabolites.
How it works: Antimetabolites kill cancer cells by acting as false building blocks in a cancer cell's genes, causing the cancer cell to die as it gets ready to divide.
Uses: Fluorouracil often is used in combination with other chemotherapy medicines to treat:
- early-stage breast cancer after surgery and other treatments
- advanced-stage breast cancer
How it's given: Flourouracil is given intravenously.
Side effects:
- diarrhea
- nausea
- vomiting
- mouth sores
- loss of appetite
- vision or eye problems
- taste changes, metallic taste in mouth during infusion
- low white blood cell count
- hand-foot syndrome
- irregular periods -- this can include temporary cessation (usually resume after medication is completed) or permanent cessation of menstrual periods depending on your age and other factors
