Capecitabine: a novel agent for the treatment of solid tumors.

摘要: Although 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been used to treat breast and colorectal cancers for several decades, bolus 5-FU disappointing efficacy. Prolonged infusion schedules biomodulation with leucovorin have resulted in improved response rates, but these not translated into significant improvements survival patients metastatic disease. Furthermore, prolonged is inconvenient can result medical complications. New oral fluoropyrimidines, including capecitabine, are promising alternatives i.v. 5-FU. Capecitabine generates preferentially within tumors through exploitation of the high intratumoral activity thymidine phosphorylase. The tumor selectivity capecitabine confirmed a clinical study cancer patients. Clinical trials shown that an effective, well-tolerated treatment cancer, rates 20-26% anthracycline- taxane-pretreated cancer. As first-line monotherapy, produces 25-27% 30% In all studies date, well tolerated, adverse events typical infusional manageable interruption/dose modification. Myelosuppression alopecia rare. also being investigated other solid (including ovarian, pancreatic gastric cancers) as adjuvant monotherapy combination cytotoxic agents. Results ongoing eagerly awaited.