Cancer drugs A to Z list
Cisplatin and fluorouracil are chemotherapy drugs. Fluorouracil is pronounced floor-oh-yoor-uh-sil. Fluorouracil is also known as 5FU.
Cisplatin and 5FU is a treatment for a number of different cancer types.
You might have cisplatin and 5FU with radiotherapy for some types of cancer.
Cisplatin and 5FU are chemotherapy drugs.
These chemotherapy drugs destroy quickly dividing cells, such as cancer cells.
Read more about how chemotherapy works
You have cisplatin and 5FU into your bloodstream (intravenously).
You might have treatment through a long plastic tube that goes into a large vein in your chest. The tube stays in place throughout the course of treatment. This can be a:
central line
PICC line
portacath
You might have treatment through a thin short tube (a cannula) that goes into a vein in your arm. You have a new cannula each time you have treatment.
When you are having this treatment through a cannula it could damage the tissue if it leaks out of the vein. This is called extravasation. This can happen anywhere along the vein that the drug is going into. It doesn’t happen very often. Tell your nurse straight away if you notice any changes such as swelling, redness, pain, burning, or a stinging feeling.
Your nurse will stop the drug treatment. And they will treat the area to relieve symptoms and reduce tissue damage. Contact your healthcare team if you develop any of these symptoms when you are at home.
You might have 5FU as a drip through a pump. The pump is usually a small portable one that attaches to your central line. This means that you can go home with it. You can keep the pump in a small bag, or a bag on a belt (like a bum bag). You go back to the hospital for the nurses to disconnect it. Or sometimes a chemotherapy nurse may be able to do this at your home.
You have cisplatin and 5FU as . This means that you have the drug and then a rest to allow your body to recover.
Each cycle lasts 21 days (3 weeks). Depending on your cancer type you may have between 2 and 8 cycles.
You might have treatment in the following way:
You have cisplatin as a drip into your bloodstream (intravenously) for between 1 and 2 hours.
You have extra fluids through a drip into your bloodstream before and after cisplatin to protect your kidneys.
You have 5FU as a drip through a pump into your bloodstream.
You continue to have 5FU through your pump into your bloodstream.
Depending on your cancer type you have either no treatment, or you continue to have 5FU through your pump until day 21.
You then start the next cycle.
You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.
Before treatment starts you may have a blood test to check for viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. This is called a viral screen.
It’s important for your doctor to know if you have had any of these viruses. This is because this treatment can weaken your and can cause the virus to become active again (reactivation).
Before starting treatment with fluorouracil (5FU) you have a blood test to check levels of an enzyme called dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD). A low DPD level means you are more likely to have severe side effects from this chemotherapy, so you may start treatment with a lower amount (dose) of the drug or have a different treatment. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will talk to you about this.
Side effects can vary from person to person. They also depend on what other treatment you are having.
Your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will go through the possible side effects. They will monitor you closely during treatment and check how you are at your appointments. Contact your advice line as soon as possible if:
you have severe side effects
your side effects aren’t getting any better
your side effects are getting worse
the side effects are affecting your daily life
Early treatment can help manage side effects better.
We haven't listed all the side effects here. Talk to your healthcare team if you have any new symptoms that you think might be a side effect of your treatment.
Remember it is very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects, but you might have some of them at the same time.
Side effects can vary from person to person. They also depend on what other treatment you are having.
These side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (more than 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
Increased risk of getting an infection is due to a drop in . Symptoms include a change in temperature, aching muscles, cough, headaches, feeling cold and shivery, pain or a burning feeling when peeing or generally feeling unwell. You might have other symptoms depending on where the infection is.
Infections can sometimes be life threatening. You should contact your advice line urgently if you think you have an infection.
You might be breathless and look pale due to a drop in . This is called anaemia.
You might have a cough, feel breathless, wheezy, or notice a feeling of pressure and tightness in your chest.
Let your doctor or nurse know straight away if you suddenly become breathless or develop a cough while having treatment.
Call 999 or go to A&E if you suddenly become breathless out of hospital.
This is due to a drop in the number of platelets in your blood. These blood cells help the blood to clot when we cut ourselves. You may have nosebleeds or bleeding gums after brushing your teeth. Or you may have lots of tiny red spots or bruises on your arms or legs. This is known as petechiae.
You may have changes in levels of minerals and salts in your blood, including low levels of sodium or high levels of uric acid (causing gout). You have regular blood tests during treatment to check this.
Rarely, this could include low levels of magnesium in the blood.
You might have some changes to the way your heart works. These usually go back to normal when the drug is stopped. You will have regular heart tests during and after the treatment. You might have changes that show on a heart test called an . Occasionally you may have changes to the heart rhythm. Your heart might beat faster or slower than normal.
Rarely there are problems such as the heart not getting enough oxygen, or a heart attack.
This can sometimes be life threatening. Tell your doctor or nurse straight away if you have any chest pain during treatment. Or call 999 or go to A&E if this happens when you are out of hospital.
It may be painful to swallow drinks or food. Painkillers and mouth washes can help to reduce the soreness and keep your mouth healthy.
Mouth sores and ulcers can be painful. It helps to keep your mouth and teeth clean, drink plenty of fluids and avoid acidic foods such as lemons. Chewing gum can help to keep your mouth moist. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have ulcers.
Your digestive tract includes the:
mouth
throat
oesophagus (food pipe)
stomach
intestines (gut)
bowel
The lining of one or more these parts could become sore and swollen. Contact your advice line or talk to a member of your healthcare team if this happens.
Rarely you may have sores (ulcers) and bleeding in the stomach or intestines.
Contact your advice line if you have diarrhoea. For example, in one day you have 2 or more loose bowel movements than usual. If you have a , you might have more output than normal. Your doctor may give you anti diarrhoea medicine to take home with you after treatment.
Try to eat small meals and snacks regularly. It’s best to try to have a healthy balanced diet if you can. You don’t necessarily need to stop eating foods that contain . But if your diet is normally very high in fibre, it might help to cut back on high fibre foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, bran and raw vegetables.
Drink plenty to try and replace the fluid lost. Aim for 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Feeling or being sick can be severe. It can start a few hours after treatment and last for a few days. Anti sickness injections and tablets can control it. Contact your doctor or nurse straight away if you’ve been sick more than once in a day.
It might help to avoid fatty or fried foods, eat small meals and snacks and take regular sips of water. Relaxation techniques might also help.
It is important to take anti sickness medicines as prescribed even if you don’t feel sick. It is easier to prevent sickness rather than treat it once it has started.
You might lose your appetite for various reasons while having cancer treatment. Sickness, taste changes or tiredness can put you off food and drinks.
You could lose all your hair. This includes your eyelashes, eyebrows, underarms, legs and sometimes pubic hair. Your hair will usually grow back once treatment has finished but it is likely to be softer. It may grow back a different colour or be curlier than before.
The skin on your hands and feet may become sore, red, or may peel. You may also have tingling, numbness, pain and dryness. This is called hand-foot syndrome or palmar plantar syndrome.
Moisturise your skin regularly. Your healthcare team will tell you what moisturiser to use.
Speak to your doctor or nurse if you feel generally unwell after having this treatment.
This is usually mild. You can do things to help yourself, including some gentle exercise. It’s important not to push yourself too hard and eat a well balanced diet.
Talk to your doctor or nurse if this effect is stopping you from doing your usual daily activities.
You might have liver changes that are usually mild and unlikely to cause symptoms. They usually go back to normal when treatment finishes. You have regular blood tests to check for any changes in the way your liver is working.
These side effects happen in between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people (between 1 and 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
sepsis, a serious reaction to an infection - signs can include feeling very unwell, not passing urine, a very high or very low temperature, shivering, slurred speech or confusion, breathlessness, mottled or discoloured skin, extreme shivering or muscle pain. Call 999 or go to accident and emergency (A&E) immediately if you have any of these symptoms
blood clots that can be life threatening; signs are pain, redness and swelling where the clot is. Feeling breathless can be a sign of a blood clot in the lung. Contact your advice line or doctor straight away if you have any of these symptoms
These side effects happen in fewer than 1 in 100 people (less than 1%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
an allergic like reaction. Symptoms include flushing, wheezing, shortness of breath, fast heart rate and low blood pressure. Contact your healthcare team if you have any of these symptoms.
feeling happy and excited (euphoria)
eye changes including rapid eye movement, visual changes and blurred sight
watery eyes or eye pain when exposed to light
headaches
extreme sleepiness
changes to handwriting, hands and or fingers shaking, slow movement, stiff legs and or arms, voice changes, stooping, rigid facial expression (symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease)
unusual tightness or stiffness in your muscles, or lower face weakness and changes to speech
low blood pressure (hypotension)
dry, itchy, red skin, a rash or a combination of these
increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
patches or streaks of skin become darker. Or patches of skin around veins become white or lighter
nail changes including being brittle, colour changes, or the nail coming away from the nail bed
changes to your hearing this can include ringing in the ears (tinnitus) or loss of hearing - this is usually reversible
dizziness
problems with sperm
very rarely some people develop a type of blood cancer called
There isn't enough information to work out how often these side effects might happen. You might have one or more of them. They include:
a stroke - symptoms can include drooping of one side of the face, being unable to smile, having numbness or weakness on one side of the body or being unable to talk. Dial 999 immediately if you have these symptoms
a type of blood cancer called a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
kidney problems – symptoms might include not peeing enough, breathlessness, feeling tired and weak, confused, feeling sick, swelling on your legs, ankles and feet
a build up of in the blood that can lead to damage
changes to the levels of chemicals in your blood due to the breakdown of tumour cells () - you have regular blood tests to check for this
conditions that affect the brain - symptoms include headaches, seizures, confusion, vision changes and mood or behaviour changes
inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain - call your advice line if you have frequent headaches, tenderness to the side of your head or scalp, jaw pain or changes to your eyesight
inflammation of the inner lining of the colon - sometimes the tissue can die, which can be life threatening
damage to nerves that control the organs inside your body (autonomic neuropathy)
If you have side effects that aren’t listed on this page, you can look at the individual drug pages:
We have more information about side effects and tips on how to cope with them.
Cancer drugs can interact with medicines, herbal products, and some food and drinks. We are unable to list all the possible interactions that may happen. An example is grapefruit or grapefruit juice which can increase the side effects of certain drugs.
Tell your healthcare team about any medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. Also let them know about any other medical conditions or allergies you may have.
You may not be able to become pregnant or get someone pregnant after treatment with these drugs. Talk to your doctor before starting treatment if you think you may want to have a baby in the future.
Men might be able to store sperm before starting treatment. And women might be able to store eggs or ovarian tissue. But these services are not available in every hospital, so you would need to ask your doctor about this.
Find out more about fertility and chemotherapy
This treatment might harm a baby developing in the womb. It is important not to become pregnant or get someone pregnant while you are having treatment. Women must use an effective method of contraception during treatment and for 7 months afterwards. Men should not get someone pregnant for at least 4 months after treatment. Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception before starting treatment. Let them know straight away if you or your partner become pregnant while having treatment.
Don’t breastfeed during this treatment and for 4 weeks after. This is because the drugs may come through in your breast milk.
If you are having tests or treatment for anything else, always mention your cancer treatment. For example, if you are visiting your dentist.
Do not have live vaccines while you’re having treatment and for up to 12 months afterwards. For some people, it may be longer than this. The length of time you need to avoid live vaccines depends on the treatment you’ve had.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist how long you should avoid live vaccinations.
In the UK, live vaccines include rubella, mumps, measles, chickenpox, BCG, and yellow fever. You can usually have non-live vaccines. But they might not give you as much protection as usual. These include the:
flu vaccine, as an injection
coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the best time to have a vaccine in relation to your cancer treatment.
You can be in contact with other people who have had live vaccines as injections. If someone has had a live vaccine by mouth or nasal spray there may be a small risk the vaccine virus can be passed onto you if your is weakened.
Your healthcare team will let you know if you need to take any precautions if you are in close contact with someone who has had a live vaccine.
For further information about each drug and the possible side effects go to the electronic medicines compendium (emc) website. You can find patient information leaflets for each drug on this website.
You can report any side effect you have to the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as part of their Yellow Card Scheme.
Last reviewed: 12 Jun 2026
Next review due: 12 Jun 2029
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