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Tegafur and Uracil

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Keep your regular appointments with your doctor or hospital so your progress can be checked.
Take this medicine at the same times as the calcium folinate your doctor has also prescribed for you.
It's important to use suitable contraception whilst taking this preparation if you or your partner could become pregnant - ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

About tegafur and uracil

Type of medicine	Antimetabolite
Used for	Colorectal cancer
Also called	Uftoral®
Available as	Capsules

This medicine is used alongside a preparation known as calcium folinate to treat colorectal cancer.

Before taking tegafur and uracil

Before taking tegafur and uracil make sure your doctor or pharmacist knows:

If you are pregnant, trying for a baby or intend to have children in the future, or breast-feeding.
If you suffer from liver, kidney or heart problems.
If your bone marrow does not function properly.
If you have bowel pain and constipation.
If you are receiving or have recently received radiotherapy.
If you have ever had an allergic reaction to this or any other medicine.
If you are under 18 years of age.
If you are taking any other medicines, including those available to buy without a prescription, herbal or complementary medicines.

How to take tegafur and uracil

Before beginning treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet.
Take your medication exactly as directed by your doctor.
This medicine must be taken at least one hour before food or one hour after meals. Take it at the same time as the calcium folinate your doctor has also prescribed for you.
Try to take this medicine at the same times each day to avoid missing any doses.
This medicine occasionally causes you to feel or be sick. It is important to keep taking this medicine at regular dosage times even if you begin to feel unwell.
If you are sick shortly after taking a dose, or you forget a dose, check with your doctor. You will be told whether to take the dose again, or wait until the next dose is due.

Getting the most from your treatment

Before buying any medicines, check with your pharmacist which medicines are safe for you to take alongside this medicine.
Important: You must not get pregnant while taking this medicine. If you are male, you must not get a woman pregnant. Ask your doctor, hospital or pharmacist about suitable contraception.
You must keep your regular appointments with the doctor or hospital so your progress can be checked. You may need to have regular blood tests during your treatment with this medicine.
Before having any kind of surgery, including dental or emergency treatment tell the surgeon, doctor or dentist you are taking this medicine.
While you are taking this medicine, and for a while after you stop treatment, do not have any immunisations (vaccinations) without talking to your doctor first. This preparation lowers the body's resistance and there is a chance that you may get an infection from the vaccine.

Can tegafur and uracil cause problems

Along with their useful effects all medicines can cause unwanted side effects. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following side effects continue or become troublesome.

Common side-effects	What can I do if I experience this
Diarrhoea	Drink plenty of water to replace lost fluids. If severe, let your doctor know
Feeling or being sick	Eat little and often and stick to simple foods such as dry toast. Drink plenty of water to replace lost fluids. If the sickness continues, speak with your doctor
Dizziness, drowsiness, confusion	Make sure your reactions are normal before driving, operating machinery or doing any other jobs which could be dangerous if you were not fully alert
Headache, muscle pain	Ask your pharmacist or doctor to recommend a suitable pain-killer
Constipation	Try to eat a well balanced diet containing plenty of fibre and drink 6-8 glasses of water each day
Dry mouth	Try chewing sugar-free gum, sucking pieces of ice, or sugar-free sweets
Increased sensitivity to sunlight	Avoid sun beds, and try to avoid sunlight or use a sun protection cream higher than factor 15 until you know how your skin reacts
Stomach pain, sores in mouth and throat, loss of appetite, weakness, dehydration, change in taste, difficulty in sleeping, depression, tingling feeling, watery eyes, swelling of the ankles and lower legs, cough, difficulty in breathing, hair loss, skin rash and peeling, weight loss, sweating	Speak with your doctor if troublesome

Important: If you experience a high temperature, flu-like symptoms, unexplained bruising or bleeding, or yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, then contact your doctor straight away.

This medicine can lower the number of white cells in your blood, increasing the chance of you getting an infection. If possible avoid people with infections and check with your doctor if you think you are getting an infection.

If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to this medicine, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.

How to store tegafur and uracil

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.
Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.

Important information about all medicines

Never take more than the prescribed dose. If you suspect that you or someone else has taken an overdose of this medicine go to the accident and emergency department of your local hospital at once. Take the container with you, even if it is empty.
This medicine is for you. Never give it to other people even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.
Never keep out of date or unwanted medicines. Take them to your local pharmacy which will dispose of them for you.
If you have any questions about this medicine ask your pharmacist.

References

British National Formulary; 54th Edition (September 2007) British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, London (link to current BNF).
Summary of Product Characteristics, Uftoral®, Merck Ltd, electronic Medicines Compendium. Text revised 26 November 2006, accessed 21 February 2008.

Comprehensive patient resources are available at www.patient.co.uk

DocID:
3794

DocRef:
dils3804

Last Updated:
12 Mar 2008

Date of Next Review:
12 Mar 2010

Version:
22

The authors and editors of this article are employed to create accurate and up to date content reflecting reliable research evidence, guidance and best clinical practice. They are free from any commercial conflicts of interest. Find out more about updating.

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