Enhanced accumulation of 5-fluorouracil in human tumors in athymic mice by co-administration of Ftorafur and uracil.

Human colonic tumors grown in athymic mice were tested for the effect of coincident uracil (U) and Ftorafur (FT) exposure versus FT alone on 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) metabolism. Serum and tumor FT and 5-FU levels were studied as a function of time after FT +/- U injections. The combination of U + FT led to significantly higher tumor/serum 5-FU ratios than FT alone. The data indicate that the metabolism of 5-FU released from FT can be modulated by coincident U exposure in human tumor cells in vivo. Such combinations may be of use in the development of oral 5-FU pro-drugs for applications using 5-FU as an out-patient non-invasive radiosensitizer.