A simple high pressure liquid chromatographic method for the determination of fluorouracil to monitor patients on regional infusion for hepatic metastases.

A rapid and sensitive high pressure liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the routine monitoring in serum of the antineoplastic agent fluorouracil, during continuous intraportal administration. Serum spiked with internal standard, bromouracil, was gently shaken for 10 min with ethylacetate at an acidic pH. The evaporated extract was dissolved in the mobile phase containing potassium phosphate buffer. Assays were performed at ambient temperature on a Chrompack LiChrosorb RP 18 column (2 X 100 X 3.0 mm) equipped with a guard column. The retention time of fluorouracil was 2-6 min. The calibration curve was linear from 25 to 2,000 ng/ml. The coefficient of variation was less than or equal to 1.6% for within-run precision and less than or equal to 2.9% for day-to-day precision. The mean recovery of fluorouracil was 57%.