Metallic taste as a side effect of topical fluorouracil use.

Topical fluorouracil is widely used for the treatment of precancerous and cancerous lesions of the skin. The most common side effect of this medication is localized irritant dermatitis. The authors report a case of dysgeusia with metallic taste as a side effect of this medication. While not previously seen with topical use, this is not an uncommon side effect seen with systemic administration of 5-fluorouracil. The etiology of dysgeusia from chemotherapeutic agents and systemic absorption of fluorouracil is discussed.