Chemotherapy – cancer treatment and side effects

5-FU is a medication used to treat various forms of cancer. The name comes from 5-fluoro-1H-pyrimidine-2,4 dione. Also known as Fluorouracil this chemotherapy agent had been used in the battle against cancer for more than 40 years. It acts in multiple ways, but its function is to slow down or inhibit rapid cell division thus curbing the growth of malignant cells.

5FU looks like a colorless fluid when used for injections or IVs. It is also sold as cream for the treatment of skin cancer. The drug was created by Robert Duschinsky in the late 1950′s. His idea was to develop a decoy molecule that would mimic the natural compound of normal cells.

The result is a drug which inhibits RNA replication enzymes halting the growth of cancerous cells. 5FU can be given as an injection, intravenously, as a drip, under the skin using a central line, or a cream applied directly to the skin. As a chemotherapy treatment, 5FU is normally arranged over several sessions or cycles and can last a few months.The course of treatment depends on the type of cancer and the cancer’s response to the drug.

There are some known side-effects to 5FU such as a sore mouth and ulcers, taste changes, diarrhea, ‘gritty eyes’, or blurred vision, skin changes, and lowered resistance to infection. Less common side effects for 5FU are vomiting, hair loss, changes to nails, rashes, or increased production of tears.

A more serious response is possible. A doctor should be contacted if a patient has a high fever, suddenly feels overall unwell, or experiences bruising or bleeding, anemia, or feeling extremely tired or weak.

5FU is most often given for the treatment of colorectal or bowel, breast, pancreatic, and stomach cancers. It is also sometimes used in the treatment of glaucoma a non cancerous condition of the eye. 5FU acts as an anti-scarring agent during the post op stage of treatment.

5FU has shown itself to be an effective chemotherapy. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2009 indicated that 5FU based chemotherapy for colon cancer showed a reduced risk of recurrence over a long period of time.