capecitabine + epirubicin

Capecitabine + epirubicin is a combination chemotherapy regimen used primarily in the treatment of various solid tumors, most notably breast cancer and gastrointestinal cancers. Capecitabine is an orally administered prodrug that is converted to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in tumor tissues, where it acts as an antimetabolite by inhibiting DNA synthesis and function. Epirubicin is an anthracycline antibiotic that intercalates into DNA, inhibiting topoisomerase II and generating free radicals, leading to cytotoxicity in rapidly dividing cells. This combination exploits complementary mechanisms of action—capecitabine targets DNA synthesis while epirubicin disrupts DNA structure and repair—to enhance antitumor efficacy. The regimen may be used alone or as part of multi-drug protocols for advanced or metastatic breast cancer (including triple-negative subtypes), gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, and gastroesophageal junction cancers[1][6][8]. Both drugs are cytotoxic agents with established roles in oncology.