National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health | www.cancer.gov

NCI Home
Cancer Topics
Clinical Trials
Cancer Statistics
Research & Funding
News
About NCI
NCI Drug Dictionary
Page Options
Print This Page
Quick Links
Director's Corner
Updates from the Director

Dictionary of Cancer Terms
Cancer-related terms

NCI Drug Dictionary
Definitions, names, and links

Funding Opportunities
Research and training

NCI Publications
Order/download free booklets

Advisory Boards and Groups
Information, meetings, reports

Science Serving People
Learn more about NCI

Español
Información en español
NCI Highlights
Virtual and Standard Colonoscopy Both Accurate

NCI Responds to Hurricanes

The Nation's Investment in Cancer Research FY 2009

Cancer Trends Progress Report: 2007 Update

Past Highlights
You CAN Quit Smoking Now!
Search for
# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z All

fluorouracilPatient Information
An antimetabolite fluoropyrimidine analog of the nucleoside pyrimidine with antineoplastic activity. Fluorouracil and its metabolites possess a number of different mechanisms of action. In vivo, fluoruracil is converted to the active metabolite 5-fluoroxyuridine monophosphate (F-UMP); replacing uracil, F-UMP incorporates into RNA and inhibits RNA processing, thereby inhibiting cell growth. Another active metabolite, 5-5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine-5'-O-monophosphate (F-dUMP), inhibits thymidylate synthase, resulting in the depletion of thymidine triphosphate (TTP), one of the four nucleotide triphosphates used in the in vivo synthesis of DNA. Other fluorouracil metabolites incorporate into both RNA and DNA; incorporation into RNA results in major effects on both RNA processing and functions. Check for active clinical trials or closed clinical trials using this agent. (NCI Thesaurus)

Synonyms:5-fluorouracil
5-Fluracil
Fluoro Uracil
Fluouracil
FU
US brand names:Adrucil
Efudex
Fluoroplex
Foreign brand names:AccuSite
Actino-Hermal
Arumel
Cytosafe
Efurix
Fiverocil
Flurablastin
Fluracedyl
Fluracil
Fluril
Fluroblastin
Flurox
Ribofluor
Timazin
Abbreviation:5-FU
Code name:Ro-2-9757
Chemical structure names:
  • 2,4-Dioxo-5-fluoropyrimidine
  • 5-Fluoro-2,4(1H,3H)-pyrimidinedione



Previous:fluorine F 18 fluoroethylcholine, fluorine F 18 RGD-based integrin peptide-polymer AH111585, fluorine F 18 sodium fluoride, Fluorofur, Fluoroplex
Next:fluorouracil-e therapeutic implant, fluoxymesterone, fluphenazine hydrochloride, flurbiprofen, Flurizan

A Service of the National Cancer Institute
Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health USA.gov