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Oral fluoropyrimidines in the adjuvant therapy of colon cancer

  • Published:
Current Colorectal Cancer Reports

Abstract

Oral chemotherapy offers several potential benefits over intravenous treatment, and the majority of patients would prefer oral therapy provided that it does not compromise efficacy. We review the evidence that oral fluoropyrimidines can replace intravenous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the adjuvant therapy of colon cancer, without loss of efficacy, while at the same time improving tolerability and reducing the use of medical resources. The addition of oxaliplatin to intravenous 5-FU improves disease-free survival in patients with resected colon cancer and both uracil/tegafur and capecitabine can be combined safely with oxaliplatin. The effect on efficacy of replacing intravenous 5-FU with oral fluoropyrimidines in combination regimens is being assessed in ongoing trials.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Beatson Oncology Centre, Western Infirmary, Dumbarton Road, G11 6NT, Glasgow, UK

    J. Cassidy MB ChB, MSc, MD, FRCP (glas and edin)

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  1. R. M. Glasspool MBBS, PhD, MRCP
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  2. J. Cassidy MB ChB, MSc, MD, FRCP (glas and edin)
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Correspondence to J. Cassidy MB ChB, MSc, MD, FRCP (glas and edin).

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Glasspool, R.M., Cassidy, J. Oral fluoropyrimidines in the adjuvant therapy of colon cancer. Curr colorectal cancer rep 2, 137–141 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11888-006-0032-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11888-006-0032-9

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