TabletsClinical Overview
Capecitabine Tablets (500mg) is an orally administered fluoropyrimidine carbamate prodrug on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines. It undergoes three-step sequential enzymatic activation: hepatic carboxylesterase hydrolyzes it to 5'-DFCR, cytidine deaminase converts it to 5'-DFUR, and thymidine phosphorylase (which is expressed at significantly higher concentrations in tumor tissues compared to normal tissues) converts it to active 5-FU. This tumor-selective activation delivers high intratumoral fluorouracil concentrations while minimizing systemic toxicity. Indicated for adjuvant and metastatic colorectal cancer, metastatic breast cancer resistant to anthracyclines and taxanes, and advanced gastric cancer.
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients
Verified Clinical References
Usage Guidelines
Take orally twice daily (morning and evening), approximately 12 hours apart, strictly WITHIN 30 MINUTES AFTER A MEAL with a full glass of water. Swallow tablets whole; do not crush or split. Standard regimen is 1250 mg/m² twice daily for 14 days, followed by a 7-day rest period (21-day cycle).
General Administration Advice: Adhere strictly to the prescribed dosage, frequency, and treatment course. For oral medications, swallow with sufficient water. Never stop antibiotics, psychiatric medications, or antihypertensives abruptly without clinical direction.
Possible Side Effects
Common: Hand-foot syndrome (palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia: numbness, erythema, swelling, blistering of palms and soles in >50%), diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, stomatitis. Rare/Severe: Severe hyperbilirubinemia, cardiotoxicity (angina/arrhythmias), lethal toxicity in DPD-deficient patients, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
*Note: Individual physiological responses vary. While many patients experience few or no side effects, notify your treating physician if adverse reactions persist or if hypersensitivity (angioedema, skin rash, dyspnea) occurs.
Precautions & Warnings
Black Box Warning: Clinically significant interaction with warfarin; capecitabine markedly inhibits CYP2C9, causing dangerous increases in INR and fatal bleeding (monitor INR frequently). Black Box Warning: DPD deficiency carries fatal toxicity risk. Interrupt therapy immediately at grade 2 hand-foot syndrome or diarrhea until resolution. Contraindicated in severe renal impairment (CrCl < 30 mL/min).
Schedule H (Prescription Required)
This medication is scheduled under statutory drug regulatory frameworks (CDSCO / Drugs & Cosmetics Rules). Dispensing requires a valid medical prescription from a registered medical practitioner. Self-medication or unsupervised dosage adjustment carries significant clinical risks.
Medical Disclaimer: Statutory Clinical Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational and price-transparency purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, oncological diagnosis, or chemotherapy protocol guidance. Cancer therapies require specialized administration under the direct supervision of a registered medical oncologist in an accredited healthcare facility.