Adrucil ®

Fluorouracil or 5-fluorouracil or 5-FU is all the names that are used to refer the anti-cancer chemotherapy drug Adrucil. This is name that is referred to the genetic name of Fluorouracil.

This drug is used to treat colon and rectal cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, breast cancer, cancers of the anal, esophagus, pancreas, gastric, head and neck cancers, ovarian cancers, liver cancers and also used to treat basal cell cancer which affects the skin and actinic Kerasotes.

This drug is administered intravenously or via IV method of infusion. The amount of drug to be administered and the time depends upon a strict set of rules and it can go on for several hours and sometimes to several days or weeks all this depends upon a number of reasons like the height, weight, overall health, type of cancer and the condition of the patient. If treated for skin cancer this is administered as an ointment and is applied as a thin coat on the affected area twice a day for several weeks.

Side effects are few and can be minimized with proper care, apart from this the side effects are reversible and disappear after the completion of the treatment cycle, the severity of the side effects depends upon the dosage of the drug administered and also on the metabolic activities of the body and the combination drug used during the mode of treatment.

Some of the common side effects are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, photophobia, mouth sores, discoloration of the veins, low blood count of both red and white blood cells which could lead to bleeding, infections and anemia. Other side effects are skin reactions like rashes, dryness, peeling, darkening of the skin, hair loss, discoloration of the nails, PPE syndrome, hand-foot syndrome etc. In some case there have been severe reactions leading to chest pain, increase in the cardiac enzymes leading to heart ailments and this is seen particularly in those who have had a previous history of heart ailment.

You need to consult your doctor if any of the below mentioned problems or symptoms persist for more than 24 hours: Fever followed by chills, nausea, vomiting, unusual bleeding and bruises, blood in the stool or urine, diarrhea in spite of taking anti diarrhea medications etc.

Certain precautionary methods

1. Tell your doctor all about the medications you are presently on, even those vitamin supplements and herbal medications.
2. Avoid pregnancy as this could be fatal to the fetus.
3. Avoid contact sports as this could lead to injuries.
4. Avoid crowded places as you are at a risk of infections.
5. Avoid getting immunization or vaccination.
6. Avoid breast feeding.

Certain self help tips

1. Suck on ice cubes to reduce mouth sores.
2. Increase the intake of water or fluids.
3. Use soft bristle toothbrush to avoid mouth sores and bleeding gums.
4. Take anti-nausea medications to prevent nausea.
5. Follow a healthy and nutritional diet.
6. Avoid exposure to sunlight.
7. Avoid alcoholic drinks.
8. Taking plenty of rest is recommended.
9. Get your blood test done regularly to monitor the proper functioning of the internal organs especially the liver and kidney.

This anti-cancer drug is known to help the self destruction of the RNA and DNA as it helps prevent the further cell division of the cancer cells, at the same time destroying the normal cell growth surrounding these cancerous cells. It also helps shrink the tumor and prevent the further spread of the disease in the body.