The antiproliferative effects of fluoropyrimidine derivatives against human tumor xenografts in a subrenal capsule assay

Abstract

The antiproliferative effects of the fluoropyrimidine derivatives, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), 1-(2-tetrahydrofuryl)-5-fluorouracil (Tegafur), UFT, 1-hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluorouracil (HCFU), and 5′-deoxy-5-fluorouracil (5′DFUR), were investigated in a 4 day subrenal capsule assay. The antiproliferative effects against two human tumor xenografts established in athymic mice were examined after treatment with three different doses of each anticancer agent, and the adequate dose of each anticancer agent in this experimental system was estimated as: 473 mg/kg for Tegafur, 433 mg/kg for UFT, 50 mg/kg for HCFU and 185 mg/kg for 5′DFUR, respectively. A comparative study of the antiproliferative effects of fluoropyrimidine derivatives was carried out against 7 xenografts. According to our criteria of positive tumor response, the effective rates were: 1 of 7 (14.3 per cent) by 5-FU, 2 of 7 (28.6 per cent) by Tegafur, 2 of 7 (28.6 per cent) by UFT, 1 of 6 (16.7 per cent) by HCFU, and 1 of 4 (25.0 per cent) by 5′DFUR, respectively. Although no statistical differences were demonstrated between the agents, the utility of a chemosensitivity test before clinical use was suggested.