[Inhibition of HCFU absorption after resection for gastric cancer--application of hydroxyaluminium gel]

HCFU (carmofur; Mifurol) is an 5-FU analog. The maximum blood concentration of HCFU in HCFU fraction (Cmax) after gastric resection was higher than before resection. Hot sensation and pollakiuria, characteristic side effects of HCFU, are dependent on concentration of HCFU fraction in blood. Therefore, it is considered that the frequency of occurrence of side effects after gastric resection is high. For that reason, we thought that if absorption of HCFU could be reduced, fewer side effects would result. We focused on the fact that drugs which include aluminium gel may decrease absorption in combined drugs, and thought it would be possible to delay absorption in HCFU by using them. We studied the HCFU concentration in the HCFU fraction and 5-FU concentration in blood, respectively, in two cases: 1) single oral administration of HCFU 100 mg and 2) coadministration with hydroxyaluminium gel (ALG) 10 ml in the whole or partial resection of gastric cancers for 8 patients. We found that the concentration of HCFU in the HCFU fraction 2 hours after its administration decreased significantly: 3.24 +/- 1.78 (single administration), 1.37 +/- 0.91 (coadministration with ALG) (p = 0.023). HCFU concentration in the HCFU fraction seemed to decrease for coadministration with ALG in the area under the time-blood concentration curve (AUG) (p = 0.071). The 5-FU concentration did not seem to decrease in either case. From these results, the coadministration of HCFU with ALG seems to be effective for the inhibition of adverse drug reaction after the resection of gastric cancers.