Sir, Tegafur, a fluorinated pyrimidine analogue of 5Fluorouracil (5-FU), is metabolized in vivo with biotransformation to 5-FU (1). It is effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal carcinoma, with the advantages of low myelosuppression and lack of immunosuppression. The cutaneous adverse effects of Tegafur include stomatitis, dry skin, disseminated rash, alopecia, photosensitivity, palmopla...

With regard to resectable disease, two recent phase III randomized trials showed that postoperative chemotherapy, either 5fluorouracil or gemcitabine, significantly prolongs overall and disease-free survival with respect to observation alone [1, 2]. A Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) phase III randomized trial showed significantly better survival after gemcitabine chemotherapy with respe...

Introduction: Between 1987 and 1994 three randomised phase III trials demonstrated that chemoradiotherapy with Mitomycin C and 5Fluorouracil was superior to radiotherapy alone (ACT1, EORTC) or radiotherapy with 5Fluorouracil (RTOG 87-04 ECOG 1289) for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the anus. We explored the population-based changes in England before, during and after the UK-based ACT1 trial. ...

Beginning with esophageal cancer of both the adeno and squamous variety, it would appear that combined modality therapy is here to stay. Most cancer programs now advocate chemotherapy, usually cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil together with radiation therapy, prior to definitive esophagectomy for localized disease. An exciting advance is the discovery of the activity of paclitaxel in this setting, a...

One of the model system that is included in the battery of tests for in vitro embryotoxicity studies is Micromass test. However, this test is based on the rat embryo limb bud cell culture and disregards other tissues. The aim of this work was to optimize culture condition and to check the influence of initial cell density and spot volume plated on the evaluation of embryotoxicity. Two model com...

Diarrhoeal disorders constitute a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally and continue to be a major concern, particularly for developing countries. Based upon the pathogenic mechanisms, the diarrhoeal organisms may be broadly divided into two groups, secretory and invasive. Vibrio cholera is the prototype pathogen causing secretory diarrhea and on the other hand Shigella the prototyp...

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer is considered the fourth most common cancer and second most common cause of cancerrelated mortalities worldwide. Gastric cancer develops more frequently among elderly. The oxaliplatin/5FU/leucovorin (FOLFOX) regimen has shown a notable activity against gastric cancer. AIM To evaluate the responses and complications of FOLFOX4 regimen as first line chemotherapy in eld...

Twenty-five patients with high-risk stage II and lIlA breast cancer (> 10 or more involved lymph nodes) were treated with six cycles of standard-dose chemotherapy (5fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide) followed by high-dose chemotherapy (2.5 g/m2 cyclophosphamide for 3 days and 225 mg/m2 thiotepa for 3 days) with autologous hematopoietic progenitor cell support. The actuarial relaps...

MM-398 (irinotecan liposome injection), also known as “nal-IRI”, is a nanoliposomal encapsulation of irinotecan, a topoisomerase-I poison. On May 1st, 2014, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Cambridge, MA, USA) announced that the combination of MM-398 with 5fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin achieved an overall survival of 6.1 months, a 1.9 month improvement over the 4.2 month survival demonstra...

In xeroderma pigmentosum, a rare genodermatosis, transmitted as an autosomal recessive disorder, excessive solar damage to the skin develops at an early age. The disease is characterized by cutaneous, ocular, neurological and oral changes. Oral features in the form of early development of squamous cell carcinoma, usually at the lower lip and tip of the tongue may be seen. The disorder is associ...