UFT concentration in serum and tissues of patients with gynecologic malignant tumors following oral administration

: Oral UFT was given to patients with genital carcinoma prior to surgery. 5-FU, FT and uracil levels in the tumor site were then measured in the surgical specimens obtained. Simultaneous estimates of tissues and plasma 5-FU indicated that the amount of drug in the tumor site (0.227 +/- 0.117 micrograms/g wet weight) had a 6.3-fold increase in concentration compared with that in normal tissues (0.036 +/- 0.019 micrograms/g wet weight) and was approximately 13.4 times that of the peripheral circulation (0.017 +/- 0.007 micrograms/ml). The rate of increase in concentration of tissue 5-FU rose especially in carcinoma of the cervix (0.394 +/- 0.215 micrograms/g), corpus uteri (0.116 +/- 0.042 micrograms/g) and ovary (0.171 +/- 0.047 micrograms/g). In the case of carcinoma of the cervix, the concentration of 5-FU in the tumor site was found to be about 14.1 times higher in invasive carcinoma than in carcinoma in situ. 5-FU concentration in the tumor site showed a still higher level compared with normal tissue after the drug was administered, suggesting an accumulation of 5-FU within the tumor.