Correlation Between Plasma Steady-State Concentration Of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) And Toxicity By Continuous Infusion In Patients With Digestive Tract Carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most widely used and effective cytotoxic drug in the treatment of digestive tract carcinoma (esophageal, gastratic, colorectal carcinoma). Its metabolism and elimination are associated with many mechanisms. It possesses non-linear and easy to saturate pharmakinetics. There are significant inter-patient and intra-patient variations in efficacy and toxicity. So monitoring serum concentration and predicting toxicity of 5-FU mean clinical sense.The common rule is to administrate 5-FU with the dosages calculated by surface area, thus some patients can not achieve effective blood levels, in contrast cumulative toxicity and adverse reaction happen to others.The metabolism and elimination of 5-FU have close relationships with the administrating ways, dosages, so monitoring serum concentration should accommodate to different schedule. The correlations between toxicity and blood levels have been published during 5-FU 46, 72, 120-hour continuous infusion, but no 22h continuous infusion for two days.