About your treatment  

Your doctor has ordered the drug fluorouracil to help treat your illness. The drug is given by injection into a vein.

This medication is used to treat:

• colon cancer
• rectal cancer
• breast cancer
• stomach cancer
• pancreatic cancer

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Fluorouracil belongs to a group of drugs known as antimetabolites. It resembles a normal cell nutrient needed by cancer cells to grow. The cancer cells take up fluorouracil, which then interferes with their growth.

Other uses for this medicine  

Fluorouracil is also used to treat ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and bladder cancer. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.

In case of emergency/overdose  

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Special instructions  

• The most common side effect of fluorouracil is a decrease in the number of blood cells. Your doctor may order tests before, during, and after your treatment to see if your blood cells are affected by the drug.

Brand names  

Other names