5-fluorouracil + folinic acid

**5-fluorouracil + folinic acid** is a combination chemotherapy regimen primarily used in the treatment of colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers. 5-fluorouracil (also known as 5FU) is a pyrimidine analog that inhibits thymidylate synthase, thereby disrupting DNA synthesis and leading to cell death in rapidly dividing cells. Folinic acid (also called leucovorin or calcium folinate) is not itself a chemotherapy agent but enhances the cytotoxic effect of 5-fluorouracil by stabilizing the binding of its active metabolite (5-FdUMP) to thymidylate synthase, increasing inhibition of DNA synthesis[1][4][6]. This combination improves response rates and survival outcomes compared to using 5-fluorouracil alone[8]. The regimen is often administered intravenously.

Other names

fluorouracil + leucovorinfluorouracil + calcium folinate