Health Information
Fluorouracil
Side Effects
Fluorouracil can cause many side effects. How severe the side effects are depends on how often you are treated and how large a dose of this medicine you receive. Common side effects include:
- Mouth sores, a sore throat, and trouble swallowing.
- Diarrhea and stomach pain.
- Decreased white blood cell counts. Red blood cell counts and platelet counts can also be reduced.
- Sun sensitivity and easy sunburning. Be sure to wear hats and sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30, and stay out of the sun as much as possible.
- Watery eyes.
- Darkening of nail beds.
See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: June 28, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine
Reference Douglas A. Stewart, MD - Medical Oncology |
|
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