Fluorouracil

⛔ FDA Black Box Warning

WARNING: SERIOUS ADVERSE REACTIONS OR DEATH IN PATIENTS WITH COMPLETE DPD DEFICIENCY Increased Risk of Serious Adverse Reactions or Death in Patients with Complete DPD Deficiency Test patients for genetic variants of DPYD prior to initiating fluorouracil unless immediate treatment is necessary. Avoid use of fluorouracil in patients with certain homozygous or compound heterozygous DPYD variants that result in complete DPD deficiency [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )]. WARNING: SERIOUS ADVERSE REACTIONS OR DEATH IN PATIENTS WITH COMPLETE DPD DEFICIENCY See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. Serious adverse reactions or death may occur in patients with complete DPD deficiency. Test patients for genetic variants of DPYD prior to initiating fluorouracil unless immediate treatment is necessary. Avoid use of fluorouracil in patients with certain homozygous or compound heterozygous DPYD variants that result in complete DPD deficiency. ( 2.1 , 5.1 )

Contraindications

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS None. None ( 4 )

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

8.1 Pregnancy Pregnancy Category D Risk Summary There are no adequate and well-controlled studies with fluorouracil in pregnant women. Based on its mechanism of action, fluorouracil can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Administration of fluorouracil to rats and mice during selected periods of organogenesis, at doses lower than a human dose of 12 mg/kg, caused embryolethality and teratogenicity. Malformations included cleft palate and skeletal defects. In monkeys, maternal doses of fluorouracil higher than an approximate human dose of 12 mg/kg resulted in abortion. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, apprise the patient of the potential hazard to a fetus [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.1 )]. Animal Data Malformations including cleft palate, skeletal defects and deformed appendages (paws and tails) were observed when fluorouracil was administered by intraperitoneal injection to mice at doses at or above 10 mg/kg (approximately 0.06 times a human dose of 12 mg/kg on a mg/m 2 basis) for 4 days during the period of organogenesis. Similar results were observed in hamsters administered fluorouracil intramuscularly at doses lower than those administered in commonly used clinical treatment regimens. In rats, administration of fluorouracil by intraperitoneal injection at doses greater than 15 mg/kg (approximately 0.2 times a human dose of 12 mg/kg on a mg/m 2 basis) for a single day during organogenesis resulted in delays in growth and malformations including micro-anophthalmos. In monkeys, administration of fluorouracil during organogenesis at doses approximately equal to a human dose of 12 mg/kg on a mg/m 2 basis resulted in abortion; at a 50% lower dose, resorptions and decreased fetal body weights were reported.