Cardiotoxicity following different doses and schedules of 5-fluorouracil administration for malignancy -- a survey of 427 patients.

Background: Although cardiotoxicity associated with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) administration is infrequent, there are case reports of acute coronary syndromes. We report on patients undergoing 5-FU chemotherapy who developed cardiac symptoms during its administration.

Material/methods: In patients receiving 5-FU who experienced cardiac-related symptoms, ECG and serum cardiac enzyme determination were performed.

Diphenhydramine for nausea and vomiting related to cancer chemotherapy with cisplatin.

High dose metoclopramide and adjuvant drugs, such as corticosteroids, benzodiazepines, and drugs with antidopaminergic, anticholinergic, or antihistaminic effects, are the most widely used antiemetics in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, particularly cis-dichloro-diammine platinum II (cisplatin). The purpose of our prospective randomized study was to investigate the possible antiemetic efficacy of diphenhydramine as an adjuvant antiemetic drug when combined with metoclopramide (MCP). A total of 91 patients were assigned to either group A (N = 44) who received only MCP and group B (N = 47) who received the combination of MCP and diphenhydramine.

A randomized trial of the effect of three non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents in ameliorating cancer-induced fever.

Paraneoplastic fever is well known, and is not an uncommon problem in daily practice. In an effort to ameliorate tumour-induced fever we randomized 48 patients to receive three different non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs: Naproxen (500 mg d-1), Indomethacin (75 mg d-1) or Diclophenac sodium (75 mg d-1). All patients had solid tumours, and microbial infection had been excluded.

Multimodal biochemical modulation of 5-fluorouracil activity in advanced colorectal cancer with allopurinol, folinic acid and dipyridamol.

It is now commonly accepted that the activity of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) may be potentiated by folinic acid (FA). Moreover dipyridamol (DIP) interacts with the pyrimidine salvage pathway of 5FU. In 28 patients with advanced colorectal cancer, in progression under FA-5FU, we continued treatment with FA-5FU plus DIP.