Is there any effect of bolus and/or infusion 5-fluorouracil treatment on microalbuminuria in immediate or long term?

Abstract

5-Fluorouracil is a widely used cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment settings particularly in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Various studies on the cardiac adverse effects of 5-fluorouracil, reported the likelihood of altered myocardial contractility and vascular endothelial damage caused by this agent. However, the mechanism underlying 5-fluorouracil-related cardiotoxicity is not clear. In certain experimental studies, thrombotic processes occurring in microvascular field were supposed to play a role in this condition. In the light of this knowledge, the administration of 5-fluorouracil may be considered to cause renal vascular endothelial damage that may result in the altered endothelial permeability. As a result of endothelial dysfunction, increased urinary albumin excretion may be in question and no study investigating this potential direct relationship has been available in medical literature. Based on this evidence, the hypothesis of that 5-fluorouracil might cause renal vascular dysfunction and microalbuminuria, was discussed in this article along with the basic knowledge. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.