FOLFIRI

FOLFIRI is a chemotherapy regimen consisting of three drugs: folinic acid (also known as leucovorin or calcium folinate), fluorouracil (5-FU), and irinotecan. It is primarily used to treat advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer and may also be used for other gastrointestinal cancers such as gastric cancer. - **Folinic acid** enhances the effectiveness of 5-FU by stabilizing its binding to the target enzyme thymidylate synthase. - **Fluorouracil (5-FU)** is an antimetabolite that disrupts DNA synthesis in rapidly dividing cells by incorporating into RNA and DNA, leading to cell death. - **Irinotecan** inhibits topoisomerase I, an enzyme necessary for DNA replication; this results in double-strand breaks during DNA synthesis and ultimately cell death[1][4][5]. The combination exploits different mechanisms to maximize anti-tumor activity against rapidly dividing cancer cells[1][4][7]. Folinic acid itself is not a chemotherapy agent but potentiates the cytotoxic effect of 5-FU.

Brand names

FOLFIRI

Other names

folinic acid + fluorouracil + irinotecanleucovorin calcium + 5-fluorouracil + irinotecan hydrochloride