Sub-acute Toxicosis Caused by a Multiple Doses Tegafur/Uracil (UFT) for Suicide : A Case Report

Tegafur/uracil (UFT) is an oral anticancer drug composed of tegafur which is a derivative of fluorouracil (5-FU) and uracil in a molar ratio of 1 : 4. UFT is effective as adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer2, colorectal cancer3, non-small cell lung carcinoma4, head and neck cancer5 and other tumors. We report a 41-year-old man who orally ingested a large dose of UFT (tegafur : 40000 mg/uracil 9960mg) in an effort to commit suicide, and suffered from sub-acute toxicosis (main symptoms were bone-marrow suppression, and hair loss) of UFT. His life was saved by empiric antibiotic chemical treatment (meropenem, isapamicin, and micafungin), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). In the case of toxicosis of UFT, strong antibacterial empiric chemotherapy and G-CSF are necessary for rescue. If G-CSF is not work, biopsy of bone marrow woud be necessary, and the case of no stem cells, bone marrow transfusion should be thought.