FEC is an abbreviation for a chemotherapy combination used with other types of therapy used to treat breast cancer. It includes the drugs fluorouracil (Adrucil, 5-FU), epirubicin hydrochloride, and cyclophosphamide (as a pill).
Chemotherapy Vials - Variety of chemotherapy drugs in a dripping IV bottle.
Image by Bill Branson (Photographer) - National Cancer Institute
FEC Chemotherapy
Development and Elimination of Cancer Cells as Chemotherapy is Applied
Image by IdkItsKatieB
Development and Elimination of Cancer Cells as Chemotherapy is Applied
The cells shown either reproduce and grow into other healthy cells, or develop a tumor through the quick replication of damaged cells. A chemotherapy drug is applied to inhibit the growth and replication only of the damaged cells.
Image by IdkItsKatieB
What Is FEC Chemotherapy?
This chemotherapy combination contains the drugs fluorouracil, epirubicin hydrochloride, and cyclophosphamide. Combinations usually work better than single drugs because different drugs kill cancer cells in different ways.
Drugs in the FEC combination:
F
= Fluorouracil
E
= Epirubicin Hydrochloride
C
= Cyclophosphamide
Each of the drugs in this combination is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat cancer or conditions related to cancer.
Use in Cancer
FEC is used to treat:
Breast cancer.
FEC is also known as CEF. This combination may also be used with other drugs or treatments or to treat other types of cancer.
Source: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Additional Materials (4)
3D chemical structure of 5-Fluorouracil
3D chemical structure of 5-Fluorouracil
Image by GarciaGerry/Wikimedia
What is FEC and Docetaxel combination chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
Video by OncoPower/YouTube
What is FEC chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
Video by OncoPower/YouTube
What is FEC and Paclitaxel combination chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
Video by OncoPower/YouTube
3D chemical structure of 5-Fluorouracil
GarciaGerry/Wikimedia
5:57
What is FEC and Docetaxel combination chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
OncoPower/YouTube
6:13
What is FEC chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
OncoPower/YouTube
5:59
What is FEC and Paclitaxel combination chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
OncoPower/YouTube
F = Fluorouracil
Fluorouracil Injection
Also called: Adrucil®, 5-Fluorouracil, 5-FU
Fluorouracil (Adrucil) is a prescription medicine used to treat cancer of the colon, rectum, breast, stomach, or pancreas. It is given as an injection into the vein (IV), or as an infusion. Fluorouracil is a type of antimetabolite.
Fluorouracil Injection
Also called: Adrucil®, 5-Fluorouracil, 5-FU
Fluorouracil (Adrucil) is a prescription medicine used to treat cancer of the colon, rectum, breast, stomach, or pancreas. It is given as an injection into the vein (IV), or as an infusion. Fluorouracil is a type of antimetabolite.
Fluorouracil is a type of chemotherapy drug called an antimetabolite. It mimics one of the building blocks of RNA and DNA, which disrupts the ability of the cells to make DNA and proteins. This slows or stops the growth of cancer cells and other rapidly dividing cells and causes them to die.
Fluorouracil injection is approved to treat:
Breast cancer.
Colorectal cancer.
Gastric (stomach) cancer.
Pancreatic cancer.
Fluorouracil is also called 5-FU. Fluorouracil is also being studied in the treatment of other conditions and types of cancer.
Fluorouracil is also available in a topical form.
Fluorouracil Injection - NCI. National Cancer Institute. Apr 13, 2007 [accessed on Nov 09, 2023]
ADRUCIL (fluorouracil) injection, solution [accessed on Aug 15, 2019]
Fluorouracil Injection. MedlinePlus/AHFS® Drug Information. [accessed on Oct 29, 2018]
These FAQs provide a summary of the most important information about Fluorouracil Injection. If you would like more information or have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider.
Additional Materials (6)
Bowen's disease plaque
Bowen's disease typically presents as a gradually enlarging, well-demarcated red colored plaque with an irregular border and surface crusting or scaling. Bowen's disease may occur at any age in adults, but is rare before the age of 30 years; most patients are aged over 60. Any site may be affected, although involvement of palms or soles is uncommon. Bowen's disease occurs predominantly in women (70–85% of cases). About 60–85% of patients have lesions on the lower leg, usually in previously or presently sun-exposed areas of skin.
This is a persistent, progressive, unelevated, red, scaly or crusted plaque which is due to an intraepidermal carcinoma and is potentially malignant. The lesions may occur anywhere on the skin surface, including on mucosal surfaces. Freezing, cauterization, or diathermy coagulation is often effective treatment. Pathomorphologic study of tissue sampling revealed: polymorphism of spiny epithelial cells has progressed into atypism; increased mitosis; giant and multinucleate cells; acanthosis; hyperkeratosis and parakeratosis; basal membrane and basal layer are retained.
Causes Edit
Causes of Bowen's disease include solar damage, arsenic, immunosuppression (including AIDS), viral infection (human papillomavirus or HPV), chronic skin injury, and other dermatoses.[4]
Histology Edit
In Bowen's disease, atypical squamous cells proliferate through the whole thickness of the epidermis. The entire tumor is confined to the epidermis and does not invade into the dermis. The cells in Bowen's disease are often highly atypical under the microscope, and may in fact look more unusual than the cells of some invasive squamous cell carcinomas.
Bowen's disease as seen under a microscope
Bowen disease (2).jpg
Bowen disease (3).jpg
Bowen disease (4).jpg
Treatment Edit
Photodynamic therapy, cryotherapy (freezing), or local chemotherapy (with 5-fluorouracil) are favored by some clinicians over excision. Because the cells of Bowen's disease have not invaded the dermis, it has a much better prognosis than invasive squamous cell carcinoma.
Good results have been noted with the use of imiquimod for Bowen's disease, including on the penis (erythroplasia of Queyrat), although imiquimod is not (as of 2013) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of any type of squamous cell carcinoma, and serious side effects can occur with use of imiquimod.
References Edit
^ James, William; Berger, Timothy; Elston, Dirk (2005). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. (10th ed.). Saunders. ISBN 0-7216-2921-0.
Image by Masryyy/Wikimedia
Severe Toxicity Under 5- Fluorouracil-Based Therapy
Video by Mayo Proceedings/YouTube
Fluorouracil and Pet Safety | How You Can Keep Your Pets Safe When Using 5-FU
Video by U.S. Food and Drug Administration/YouTube
What is FEC and Docetaxel combination chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
Video by OncoPower/YouTube
What is FEC chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
Video by OncoPower/YouTube
What is FEC and Paclitaxel combination chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
Video by OncoPower/YouTube
Bowen's disease plaque
Masryyy/Wikimedia
4:47
Severe Toxicity Under 5- Fluorouracil-Based Therapy
Mayo Proceedings/YouTube
4:43
Fluorouracil and Pet Safety | How You Can Keep Your Pets Safe When Using 5-FU
U.S. Food and Drug Administration/YouTube
5:57
What is FEC and Docetaxel combination chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
OncoPower/YouTube
6:13
What is FEC chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
OncoPower/YouTube
5:59
What is FEC and Paclitaxel combination chemotherapy and what are its side effects? | OncoPower
OncoPower/YouTube
E = Epirubicin
Epirubicin
Also called: Ellence®, Epirubicin Hydrochloride
Epirubicin is a prescription medicine used with other drugs to treat breast cancer that was removed by surgery and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. It is a type of anthracycline antibiotic and a type of topoisomerase inhibitor.
Epirubicin
Also called: Ellence®, Epirubicin Hydrochloride
Epirubicin is a prescription medicine used with other drugs to treat breast cancer that was removed by surgery and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. It is a type of anthracycline antibiotic and a type of topoisomerase inhibitor.
Epirubicin hydrochloride is a type of chemotherapy drug called an anthracycline. It stops cells from copying their DNA and from making RNA and proteins. This slows or stops the growth of cancer cells and other rapidly dividing cells. Epirubicin is the active ingredient of epirubicin hydrochloride. Also called Ellence.
Epirubicin hydrochloride is approved to be used with other drugs to treat:
Breast cancer. It is used after surgery in patients whose cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.
Epirubicin hydrochloride is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
Epirubicin Hydrochloride - NCI. National Cancer Institute. Jan 25, 2007 [accessed on Dec 14, 2023]
DailyMed - EPIRUBICIN HYDROCHLORIDE injection [accessed on Dec 14, 2023]
Epirubicin. MedlinePlus/AHFS® Drug Information. [accessed on Oct 29, 2018]
These FAQs provide a summary of the most important information about Epirubicin. If you would like more information or have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider.
C = Cyclophosphamide
Cyclophosphamide
Also called: Cytoxan, CTX
Cyclophosphamide is a prescription medicine used to treat cancer of the ovaries, breast, blood and lymph system, and nerves (mainly in children). It is also used for retinoblastoma, multiple myeloma, and mycosis fungoides. Cyclophosphamide is also used for a certain type of kidney disease. It is a type of alkylating agent.
Cyclophosphamide
Also called: Cytoxan, CTX
Cyclophosphamide is a prescription medicine used to treat cancer of the ovaries, breast, blood and lymph system, and nerves (mainly in children). It is also used for retinoblastoma, multiple myeloma, and mycosis fungoides. Cyclophosphamide is also used for a certain type of kidney disease. It is a type of alkylating agent.
Cyclophosphamide is a prescription medicine used to treat many types of cancer and a certain type of kidney disease in children. Cyclophosphamide damages the cell’s DNA and may kill cancer cells. It may also lower the body’s immune response. Cyclophosphamide is a type of alkylating agent.
Cyclophosphamide is approved to be used alone or with other drugs to treat:
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children.
Acute monocytic leukemia.
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Breast cancer.
Chronic granulocytic leukemia.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).
Hodgkin lymphoma. It is used in patients with stage III or stage IV disease.
Multiple myeloma.
Mycosis fungoides (a type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma) that is advanced.
Neuroblastoma that is disseminated.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). It is used in patients with stage III or stage IV NHL, including the following types:
Lymphocytic lymphoma (nodular or diffuse).
Mixed-cell type lymphoma.
Histiocytic lymphoma.
Burkitt lymphoma.
Ovarian cancer.
Retinoblastoma.
Cyclophosphamide is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
Cyclophosphamide - NCI. National Cancer Institute. Nov 6, 2007 [accessed on Jul 26, 2023]
Cyclophosphamide. MedlinePlus/AHFS® Drug Information. [accessed on Oct 29, 2018]
These FAQs provide a summary of the most important information about Cyclophosphamide. If you would like more information or have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider.
Additional Materials (4)
Cyclophosphamide-3D-vdW.png
Image by upload.wikimedia.org
Cyclophosphamide 50 MG Oral Tablet
Image by National Library of Medicine
Mees' lines
Mee's lines due to chemotherapy. Patient had received 4 triweekly infusions of AC (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin). Lines were not ridged, and migrated outward with nail growth.
Image by Yannick Trottier
Chemotherapy bottles NCI
Six bottles of different types of cancer drugs over a graded blue to white background. Clockwise from center: Blenoxane (bleomycin), Oncovin (vincristine), DTIC-Dome (dacarbazine), Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide), Adriamycin (doxorubicin), and VePesid (etoposide).
Image by Unknown photographer/artist, National Cancer Institute/Wikimedia
Cyclophosphamide-3D-vdW.png
upload.wikimedia.org
Cyclophosphamide 50 MG Oral Tablet
National Library of Medicine
Mees' lines
Yannick Trottier
Chemotherapy bottles NCI
Unknown photographer/artist, National Cancer Institute/Wikimedia
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FEC Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer
FEC is an abbreviation for a chemotherapy combination used with other types of therapy used to treat breast cancer. It includes the drugs fluorouracil (Adrucil, 5-FU), epirubicin hydrochloride, and cyclophosphamide (as a pill).