抄録
The oral pyrimidine fluoride-derived anticancer agent S-1 was developed as a three-component combination drug.S1 contains 2 biochemical modulators-5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and tegafur (5-chloro-2,4 dihydroxypyridine)-and potassium oxonate.Tegafur is a metabolically activated prodrug of 5-FU which enhances the pharmacological actions of 5-FU by potently inhibiting its degradation,and potassium oxonate reduces gastrointestinal toxicity.
We conducted an investigation of the number or outpatients administered S-1 in combination therapy and number of cases of adaptation disorder at Hirosaki University School of Medicine Hospital,a key cancer hospital,from 2004 to 2008.The use of S-1 increased 4 times in the 5 years with that for head and neck cancer,and gastric cancer both increasing 4 times,and large bowel/rectal cancer 2.3 times.Prescriptions for the 20 mg and 25 mg S1 capsule increased about 15.4 times and 4.6 times,respectively,in this period.The proportions of gastric cancer and pancreatic carcinoma patients receiving injection antineoplastic drugs together with S-1 were 20% and 68%,respectively,in 2008.Between 2004 and 2008 there had been a sharp increase in S-1 prescriptions and therapy had become much more complicated.In view of this,it is important that we regularly provide information to neighboring local dispensing pharmacies on the usage situation of S-1 to help ensure the safety of medical treatment in our hospital.
