Fluorouracil, 5-FU injection (2024)

What is this medication?

FLUOROURACIL, 5-FU (flure oh YOOR a sil) is a chemotherapy drug. It slows the growth of cancer cells. This medicine is used to treat many types of cancer like breast cancer, colon or rectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and stomach cancer.

This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Adrucil

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What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

  • blood disorders
  • dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency
  • infection (especially a virus infection such as chickenpox, cold sores, or herpes)
  • kidney disease
  • liver disease
  • malnourished, poor nutrition
  • recent or ongoing radiation therapy
  • an unusual or allergic reaction to fluorouracil, other chemotherapy, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
  • pregnant or trying to get pregnant
  • breast-feeding

How should I use this medication?

This drug is given as an infusion or injection into a vein. It is administered in a hospital or clinic by a specially trained health care professional.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.

NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

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What if I miss a dose?

It is important not to miss your dose. Call your doctor or health care professional if you are unable to keep an appointment.

What may interact with this medication?

Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:

  • live virus vaccines

This medicine may also interact with the following medications:

  • medicines that treat or prevent blood clots like warfarin, enoxaparin, and dalteparin

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

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What should I watch for while using this medication?

Visit your doctor for checks on your progress. This drug may make you feel generally unwell. This is not uncommon, as chemotherapy can affect healthy cells as well as cancer cells. Report any side effects. Continue your course of treatment even though you feel ill unless your doctor tells you to stop.

In some cases, you may be given additional medicines to help with side effects. Follow all directions for their use.

Call your doctor or health care professional for advice if you get a fever, chills or sore throat, or other symptoms of a cold or flu. Do not treat yourself. This drug decreases your body's ability to fight infections. Try to avoid being around people who are sick.

This medicine may increase your risk to bruise or bleed. Call your doctor or health care professional if you notice any unusual bleeding.

Be careful brushing and flossing your teeth or using a toothpick because you may get an infection or bleed more easily. If you have any dental work done, tell your dentist you are receiving this medicine.

Avoid taking products that contain aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, or ketoprofen unless instructed by your doctor. These medicines may hide a fever.

Do not become pregnant while taking this medicine. Women should inform their doctor if they wish to become pregnant or think they might be pregnant. There is a potential for serious side effects to an unborn child. Talk to your health care professional or pharmacist for more information. Do not breast-feed an infant while taking this medicine.

Men should inform their doctor if they wish to father a child. This medicine may lower sperm counts.

Do not treat diarrhea with over the counter products. Contact your doctor if you have diarrhea that lasts more than 2 days or if it is severe and watery.

This medicine can make you more sensitive to the sun. Keep out of the sun. If you cannot avoid being in the sun, wear protective clothing and use sunscreen. Do not use sun lamps or tanning beds/booths.

What side effects may I notice from receiving this medication?

Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:

  • allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
  • low blood counts - this medicine may decrease the number of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. You may be at increased risk for infections and bleeding.
  • signs of infection - fever or chills, cough, sore throat, pain or difficulty passing urine
  • signs of decreased platelets or bleeding - bruising, pinpoint red spots on the skin, black, tarry stools, blood in the urine
  • signs of decreased red blood cells - unusually weak or tired, fainting spells, lightheadedness
  • breathing problems
  • changes in vision
  • chest pain
  • mouth sores
  • nausea and vomiting
  • pain, swelling, redness at site where injected
  • pain, tingling, numbness in the hands or feet
  • redness, swelling, or sores on hands or feet
  • stomach pain
  • unusual bleeding

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):

  • changes in finger or toe nails
  • diarrhea
  • dry or itchy skin
  • hair loss
  • headache
  • loss of appetite
  • sensitivity of eyes to the light
  • stomach upset
  • unusually teary eyes

This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Where should I keep my medication?

This drug is given in a hospital or clinic and will not be stored at home.

NOTE: This sheet is a summary. It may not cover all possible information. If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider.

Fluorouracil, 5-FU injection (2024)

FAQs

What is the 5 fluorouracil injection used for? ›

What is this medication? FLUOROURACIL, 5-FU (flure oh YOOR a sil) is a chemotherapy drug. It slows the growth of cancer cells. This medicine is used to treat many types of cancer like breast cancer, colon or rectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and stomach cancer.

Is 5-FU a strong chemo drug? ›

By itself, 5FU may not be very effective. This is because cancer cells have several mechanisms by which they can become resistant to 5FU. 5FU is far more effective when combined with other cancer drugs. For example, when 5FU is used alone for advanced colorectal cancer, the treatment response rate is 10% to 15% .

What are the side effects of the 5-FU shot? ›

Altered mental status, confusion, disorientation, intense feelings of joy, difficulty walking and balancing, coma. Allergic reaction which may cause rash, low blood pressure, wheezing, shortness of breath, swelling of the face or throat. Blood clot which may cause swelling, pain, or shortness of breath.

How is 5-FU administered? ›

However, 5-FU is typically given as an injection into the vein, as a slow IV push, or as an infusion. It is considered an irritant, not a vesicant. You will frequently see this drug when treating patients with colon or rectal carcinomas.

What cancers does 5 fluorouracil treat? ›

A drug given as an injection to treat cancers of the breast, colon, rectum, stomach, and pancreas and as a cream to treat actinic keratosis (a skin condition that may become cancer) and certain types of basal cell skin cancer.

What to avoid when using fluorouracil? ›

Avoid exposure to sunlight or tanning beds. Fluorouracil topical can make you sunburn more easily. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors.

What does your face look like after using fluorouracil? ›

After five to ten days of treatment, the sun-damaged parts of treated skin become red, scaly and tender. As treatment is continued, sores and crusts may appear. These raw areas result from the destruction of defective skin cells.

What happens if I put fluorouracil on healthy skin? ›

Fluorouracil reacts against the pre-cancerous sun-damaged skin but does not usually affect normal skin.

Is fluorouracil treatment worth it? ›

Fluorouracil topical has an average rating of 7.6 out of 10 from a total of 292 reviews on Drugs.com. 67% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 15% reported a negative experience.

Does fluorouracil affect sleep? ›

Eye irritation (such as stinging, watering), trouble sleeping, irritability, temporary hair loss, or abnormal taste in the mouth may also occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Does fluorouracil get into the bloodstream? ›

You have fluorouracil into your bloodstream (intravenously). You might have treatment through a thin short tube (a cannula) that goes into a vein in your arm. You have a new cannula each time you have treatment.

Does fluorouracil raise blood pressure? ›

The significant increase in SBP can be attributed to chemotherapy-induced hypertension by 5-FU or other drugs in the chemotherapeutic regimens. However, when comparing the lowest BP levels during chemotherapy, there was a decrease in SBP and DBP in all groups from the baseline values.

How do you know when fluorouracil is done working? ›

You should continue to treat until lesions have a rust-colored scab on them. Once this occurs, you should discontinue the medication and apply Vaseline liberally to start the healing process. You should avoid sun exposure during the entire treatment and recovery period.

What does 5-fluorouracil do to your body? ›

Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a skin cream or solution that treats skin cancer. It's a chemotherapy agent that destroys cancer cells. Follow the instructions on the label to safely apply this cream or solution on your skin.

Should I rub in fluorouracil cream? ›

Clean affected part before use. Make sure to dry well. Wait 10 minutes after washing affected part before putting drug on skin. Put a thin layer on the affected skin and rub in gently.

What does fluorouracil 5% do? ›

Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a skin cream or solution that treats skin cancer. It's a chemotherapy agent that destroys cancer cells. Follow the instructions on the label to safely apply this cream or solution on your skin.

What should patients using 5-fluorouracil expect with treatment? ›

Possible Side Effects

Some changes may happen that can cause your heart to have less ability to pump blood. Soreness of the mouth and throat. You may have red areas, white patches, or sores that hurt. Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis are rare but may happen in some patients.

How long does it take for 5-fluorouracil to work? ›

Use fluorouracil exactly as directed. Do not apply more or less of it or apply it more often than prescribed by your doctor. If you are using fluorouracil to treat actinic or solar keratoses, you should continue using it until the lesions start to peel off. This usually takes about 2 to 4 weeks.

What is the difference between fluorouracil and 5-fluorouracil? ›

The name "fluorouracil" is the INN, USAN, USP name, and BAN. The form "5-fluorouracil" is often used; it shows that there is a fluorine atom on the 5th carbon of a uracil ring.

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