I.

PYRIMIDINE DRUGS
EXAMPLES

3. Capecitabine (Xeloda)

1. 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu, Efudex, Adrucil,

Fluoroplex)

Clinical Uses:

Clinical Uses:

Tx of several carcinoma types

breast cancer, stomach cancer,
pancreatic cancer,
Topical use basal cell cancer of
the skin

Adverse Effects:

Adverse Effects:

Dose-limiting myelosuppression
Mucositis
Diarrhea
Hand-foot syndrome (numbness,
pain, erythema, dryness, rash,
swelling, increased pigmentation,
nail changes, pruritus of the
hands and feet)

2. Floxuridine (Fluorodeoxyuridine,
Fudr)
Clinical Uses:

Tx metastatic GI
adrenocarcinoma

Adverse Effects:

Dose-limiting myelosuppression
Mucositis
Diarrhea
Hand-foot syndrome (numbness,
pain, erythema, dryness, rash,
swelling, increased pigmentation,
nail changes, pruritus of the
hands and feet)

Tx breast cancer and colorectal

cancer

Dose-limiting myelosuppression
Mucositis
Diarrhea
Hand-foot syndrome (numbness,
pain, erythema, dryness, rash,
swelling, increased pigmentation,
nail changes, pruritus of the
hands and feet)

4. Gemcitabine (DFDC, Gemzar)

Clinical Uses:

Tx of bladder cancer,
Pancreatic cancer,
And NSCLC (non-small cell lung
cancer)

Adverse Effects:

Myelosuppression
Fever
Malaise
Chills
Headache
Myalgias
Nausea and Vomiting

5. Cytarabine (Cytosine, Arabinoside,

Ara-C, Cytostart-U, Tarabine)
Clinical Uses:

Tx of acute myelogenous
leukemia and CML (Chronic
Myelogenous Leukemia)

Adverse Effects:

Toxicities include:
myelosuppression, leucopenia
and thrombocytopenia, nausea
and vomiting anorexia, diarrhea
and mucositosis

Neurotoxicity include: ataxia,

lethargy and confusion

Allergic reactions: fever, myalgia,

malaise, bone pain, skin rash,
conjunctivitis, and chest pain

6. Azacitidine (Vidaza)

II. PURINE DRUGS

EXAMPLES

7. Mercaptopurine (6-MP,
Mercaptopurinum, Purinethol)

Clinical Uses:

Tx of lymphoblastic leukemia

Acute lymphocytic leukemia

Crohns disease

Adverse Effects:

Clinical Uses:

used for the treatment of

myelodysplastic syndromes and
AML

Adverse Effects:

Myelosuppression (neutropenia,
thrombocytopenia), N/V,
constipation, hypokalemia, renal
toxicity

Myelosuppression

Immunosuppression

Nausea

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Dry skin

Urticaria

Photosensitivity

8. Thioguanine (6-Thioguanine, 6-TG,

Tabloid)

Clinical Uses:

Tx acute nonlymphocytic
leukemia

Adverse Effects:

Used for Chronic lymphocytic

leukemia

Hairy cell leukemia

Non-Hodgkins lymphoma

Adverse Effects:

Myelosuppression

Neutropenia

Immunosuppression

Fever

Myelosuppression

Nausea

Immunosuppression

Vomiting

Nausea

Vomiting

Mucositis

Diarrhea

9. Cladribine (2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine,
2-CDA, Leustatin)

Clinical Uses:

10. Pentostatin (2-Deoxycoformycin,

DCF, Nipent)

Clinical Uses:

For leukemias such as: Hairy cell

leukemia,

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

and

Lymphoblastic leukemia

Adverse Effects:

Myelosuppression

Immunosuppression

Nausea

Vomiting

Headache
Lethargy
Fatigue

11. Fludarabine (2-F-ARA-AMP,

Fludara)
Clinical Uses:

Tx chronic lymphocytic leukemia

and non-Hodgkins lymphoma

Clinical uses:

treat acute lymphoblastic

leukemia in children and young
adults up to 21 years old

Adverse Effects:

fever, sore throat, mouth sores;

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
headache, feeling tired or
anxious;
mild itching or skin rash; or.
flushing (warmth, redness, or
tingly feeling)

Adverse Effects:
III. FOLATES

Myelosuppression
EXAMPLES

Immunosuppression

Fever

Nausea

Vomiting

13. Methotrexate (MTX, Abitrexate,

Mexate, Folex)

Clinical Uses:
12. Clofarabine (Clolar)

Tx breast cancer

Bladder cancer

Colorectal cancer

Head and neck cancer

Adverse Effects:

Effective against mesothelioma,

NSCLC, colorectal cancer,
bladder cancer and lung cancer

Adverse Effects:

Myelosuppression

Mucositis

Myelosuppression

Nausea

Mucositis

Vomiting

Nausea

Renal toxicity

Vomiting

Acute cerebral dysfunction

Renal toxicity

Skin rash

Acute cerebral dysfunction

Hyperpigmentation

Skin rash

Hyperpigmentation

14. Pemetrexed (MTA, Alimta)

Clinical Uses:

15. Trimetrexate (TMTX, Neutrexin)

Clinical Uses:

Tx colorectal cancer, head and

neck cancer as well as NSCLC

Adverse Effects:

Myelosuppression

Mucositis

Nausea

Vomiting

Renal toxicity

Acute cerebral dysfunction

Skin rash

Hyperpigmentation