Comparison of tumor growth inhibitory and toxic effects of a new fluorouracil--nitrosourea derivative (B-3839).

The toxic effect and anti-tumor activity of B-3839, a new molecular combination of pyrimidine antimetabolite 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with the alkylating agent N-Chloroethyl-N-nitrosourea (BCNU), was compared to that of BCNU and 5-FU given alone and in physical combination. The tumor inhibitory effect of B-3839 was similar to that of BCNU given alone or combined with a low dose of 5-FU in the i.m. Walker tumor model. Furthermore, the bone marrow toxicity of BCNU was not significantly altered by either form of combination with 5-FU. The intestinal side effects, evaluated by measuring the decrease of marker enzyme (thymidine kinase, xanthine oxidase, alkaline phosphatase, sucrase, maltase) activities in isolated enterocytes, were dose-dependent and moderate. A significant, more than 30%, decrease occurred only if BCNU and 5-FU were given simultaneously or as B-3839. The molecular combination of the two drugs does not provide any additional advantage over their physical combination.