Which statement about 5-fluorouracil is true?

Which statement about 5-fluorouracil is true?

• A. It is not used in cancer treatment
• B. It is used exclusively orally
• C. It is an anti-neoplastic drug that can be given IV for cancers
• D. It is used to treat diabetes

Answer: (C)

5-fluorouracil is a chemotherapy agent that acts as an antimetabolite. It’s a pyrimidine analog that, after entering cells, is converted to active metabolites like FdUMP, which inhibits thymidylate synthase. This blocks thymidine production and DNA synthesis, hitting rapidly dividing cancer cells hard. Because oral bioavailability is poor, it is typically given by intravenous infusion for systemic cancers, though an oral prodrug (capecitabine) becomes 5-FU in tumors. Topical 5-FU is also used for certain skin conditions. It is not used to treat diabetes. So the statement that it is an anti-neoplastic drug that can be given IV for cancers is true.

5-fluorouracil is a chemotherapy agent that acts as an antimetabolite. It’s a pyrimidine analog that, after entering cells, is converted to active metabolites like FdUMP, which inhibits thymidylate synthase. This blocks thymidine production and DNA synthesis, hitting rapidly dividing cancer cells hard. Because oral bioavailability is poor, it is typically given by intravenous infusion for systemic cancers, though an oral prodrug (capecitabine) becomes 5-FU in tumors. Topical 5-FU is also used for certain skin conditions. It is not used to treat diabetes. So the statement that it is an anti-neoplastic drug that can be given IV for cancers is true.