Gemcitabine and UFT plus oral calcium folinate: Phase I study

Gemcitabins (Gemzar) is a nucleoside analog increasingly used in the treatm ent of a variety of solid tumors. DNA synthesis is inhibited by gemcitabine by masked chain termination and via inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase . Synergy may exist between gemcitabine and other antimetabolites, includin g 5-fluorouracil. The varying patterns of dose-limiting toxicities to gemci tabine and UFT (uracil and tegafur in a 4:1 molar ratio) plus oral calcium folinate (Orzel) permit their use in combination. The primary aint of this phase I study is to determine the maximum tolerated doses of gemcitabine an d UFT plus oral calcium folinate irt patients with a variety of solid tumor s. Only eight patients have been recruited to date,,vith myelosuppression b eing the main toxicity observed.