5-Fluorouracil in the treatment of acute pancreatitis

The present data show that treatment with 5-fluorouracil may be of some benefit, but the results are not at all as convincing or promising as those previously reported in clinical and experimental trails. One possible explanation is that the dose of 5-fluorouracil was too small. However, Russian clinical studies have reported good results with identical doses. Their very good results were not confirmed in this study. Another explanation is that 5-fluorouracil should have been administered at an earlier phase of acute pancreatitis, which is not possible in clinical studies. This may explain the good results achieved in experimental trials.