Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Role of Tegafur/Uracil in Pulmonary Malignancy

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Drugs Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Tegafur/uracil (UFT®) is an oral fluorinated pyrimidine composed of a combination of uracil and tegafur in a 4: 1 molar ratio. When given on a continuous basis, it yields a fluorouracil area under the concentration-time curve identical to that achieved with isomolar concentrations of fluorouracil administered by continuous infusion. Its 8.7% response rate in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is modest, but it has demonstrated synergy with cisplatin in human solid tumour xenografts. In combination with cisplatin in patients with advanced NSCLC, response rates of 29 to 43% were observed with acceptable toxicity Researchers in Japan have demonstrated the utility of this agent as adjuvant therapy after surgical resection, either alone or in combination with cisplatin and vindesine versus observation; long term survival rates exceed 60%, compared with 49% for the control group. Efforts in the US will assess the role of this agent as non-cross-resistant consolidation therapy after a plateau in response has been obtained with platinum-based therapy in advanced disease. They will also recapitulate the Japanese studies, assessing their utility as adjuvant therapy in NSCLC patients who have undergone resection. Finally, ongoing phase I studies are combining this agent with paclitaxel and other systemic agents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pinedo HM, Peter FJ. Fluorouracil: biochemistry and pharmacology. J Clin Oncol 1988; 6: 1653–64

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Pazdur R, Covington WC, Brown NS, et al. Comparative steady state pharmacokinetics of oral UFT versus protracted intravenous 5-fluorouracil. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 1996; 15: 474A

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hirata K, Sasaki K, Yamamitsu S, et al. A comparison of 5-fluorouracil concentration of 5-fluorouracil drip infusion versus oral UFT in plasma of the same patients. Gan To Kagaku Ryoho 1993;20: 1409–11

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Taguchi T, Fume H, Koyama Y, et al. Phase I study of UFT. Jpn J Cancer Chemother 1980; 7: 966–72

    Google Scholar 

  5. Nakajimo O, Ihara K, Isoda T, et al. Phase I and II studies of mixture of 1-5 fluorouracil and uracil. Jpn J Cancer Chemother 1980; 7: 1558–60

    Google Scholar 

  6. Ota K, Taguchi T, Kimura K, et al. Report on nationwide pooled data and cohort investigation in UFT phase II study. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 1988; 22: 333–8

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Keicho N, Saijo N, Shinkai T, et al. Phase II study of UFT mixture in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Jpn J Clin Oncol 1986; 16: 143–6

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Wada H, Hitomi S, Teramatsu T. Postoperative non-small cell lung cancer: a prospective randomized trial of cisplatin, vindesine, UFT versus UFT alone versus control. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 1994; 13: 1084A

    Google Scholar 

  9. Yamada Y, Saito H, Oie S, et al. Experimental study of the effect of combined treatment of UFT with CDDP on human solid tumor-xenografts in nude mice. Gan To Kagaku Ryoho 1990; 17: 1327–31

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Shimizu N, Teramoto S, Hitomi S, et al. A randomized controlled postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy trial of MMC and tegafur versus MMC and UFT for adenocarcinoma of the lung —first study. Jpn J Lung Cancer 1991; 31: 1011–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Wada H, Hitomi S, Teramatsu T, et al. Adjuvant chemotherapy after complete resection in non-small cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol 1996; 14: 1048–54

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Ichinose Y, Takanashi N, Yano T, et al. A phase II trial of oral tegafur and uracil plus cisplatin in patients with inoperable nonsmall cell lung cancer. Cancer 1995; 75: 2677–80

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Koinumaru S, Matsuda T, Saitoh J, et al. Pilot study of UFT combined with 5 consecutive days cisplatin in non-small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer 1997; 18: 241–51

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Niitani H, Yoshimori K, Yoneda S, et al. Phase II trial of UFT plus cisplatin in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Proc Int Assoc Study Lung Cancer 1997; 18: 56A

    Google Scholar 

  15. Nakazato H, Koike A, Sail S, et al. Efficacy of oral UFT as adjuvant chemotherapy to curative resection of colorectal cancer: a prospective randomized clinical trial. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 1997; 16: 990A

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 7701 Burholme Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19111, USA

    Corey J. Langer

Authors
  1. Corey J. Langer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Langer, C.J. The Role of Tegafur/Uracil in Pulmonary Malignancy. Drugs 58 (Suppl 3), 71–75 (1999). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-199958003-00010

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-199958003-00010

Keywords

Search

Navigation