Floxuridine (floxuridine)

Dosage of floxuridine must be based on the clinical and hematologic response and tolerance of the patient in order to obtain optimum therapeutic results with minimum adverse effects. Clinicians should consult published protocols for the dosage of floxuridine and other chemotherapeutic agents and the method and sequence of administration.

The usual dosage of floxuridine by continuous intra-arterial infusion is 0.1-0.6 mg/kg daily. The higher dosages (0.4-0.6 mg/kg daily) are usually used for hepatic artery infusion since the liver metabolizes the drug and thus reduces the risk of systemic toxicity. Floxuridine therapy may be continued until toxicity occurs. In patients undergoing hepatic artery infusion, local toxicity may be manifested by increasingly abnormal liver function tests, anorexia, and abdominal cramps. An adequate course of therapy generally requires 1-6 weeks of continuous administration of the drug. Sterile water for injection has been infused between courses of floxuridine therapy to keep the catheter open. When signs of floxuridine toxicity have subsided, therapy may be resumed. The patient should be maintained on floxuridine therapy as long as response to the drug continues.

No dosing information is available for this tab.

No dosing information is available for this tab.

No dosing information is available for this tab.

There is no enhanced messaging for this drug.

There are no contraindication interactions for this drug.

There are no severe interactions for this drug.

There are no moderate interactions for this drug.

There is no enhanced messaging for this drug.

There are no contraindication contraindications for this drug.

There are no severe contraindications for this drug.

There are no moderate contraindications for this drug.

There is no enhanced messaging for this drug.

There are no severe adverse reactions for this drug.

There are no less severe adverse reactions for this drug.

No enhanced messaging available.

No enhanced messaging available.

Floxuridine may cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women, but potential benefits from use of the drug may be acceptable in certain conditions despite the possible risks to the fetus. Teratogenic effects have occurred in animals receiving floxuridine. Floxuridine has been shown to be teratogenic in the chick embryo, mouse (at doses of 2.5-100 mg/kg), and rat (at doses of 75-150 mg/kg); malformations observed in offspring included cleft palates, skeletal defects, and deformed appendages, paws, and tails. Floxuridine dosages resulting in teratogenic effects in animal studies were 4.2-125 times the recommended human therapeutic dose. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies using floxuridine in pregnant women. However, because floxuridine inhibits DNA synthesis, and other drugs that inhibit DNA synthesis have been reported to be teratogenic in humans, the possible teratogenic effects of floxuridine must be considered. Animal studies have not been conducted to date to evaluate the effects of floxuridine on perinatal or postnatal development; however, compounds such as floxuridine that inhibit synthesis of DNA, RNA, and protein may be expected to have adverse effects on fetal and child development.

Floxuridine should be used during pregnancy only in life-threatening situations or severe disease for which safer drugs cannot be used or are ineffective. When the drug is administered during pregnancy or if the patient becomes pregnant while receiving the drug, the patient should be informed of the potential hazard to the fetus. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant while receiving the drug.

It is not known whether floxuridine is distributed into milk. Floxuridine inhibits the synthesis of DNA and RNA. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions to floxuridine in nursing infants, nursing should not be undertaken by women receiving the drug.

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