DrugEvidence

Drugs / Fluorouracil

Fluorouracil

Drug

Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a cytotoxic chemotherapy drug in the antimetabolite and pyrimidine analogue classes. It is used systemically for cancers and topically for actinic keratosis and some superficial skin cancers. The drug entered medical use in 1962.

Trials
1959
Recruiting
232
Completed
939
With results
407

Last revised

Pipeline

Phase by status

PhaseRecruitingNot yetBy invitationActiveCompletedTerminatedWithdrawnSuspendedUnknownApproved for marketingTotal
Early Phase 1 221031 18
Phase 1 3531813523615 235
Phase 1/2 288665231810 158
Phase 2 8925155415111343148 881
Phase 2/3 665226511 61
Phase 3 581929245299285 476
Phase 4 3511522112 41
Not applicable 8511213318 60
Unknown 321211172 29

Trials started per year

2021
21
2022
61
2023
69
2024
77
2025
82
2026
81
2027
2

Conditions studied, by phase

ConditionEarly Phase 1Phase 1Phase 1/2Phase 2Phase 2/3Phase 3Phase 4Not applicableUnknownTotal
Colorectal Neoplasms 17136223131331087 502
Rectal Neoplasms 37151366611101 267
Colonic Neoplasms 3311287672251 219
Pancreatic Neoplasms 3322782632144 191
Stomach Neoplasms 1221296638462 187
Esophageal Neoplasms 161371324251 135
Breast Neoplasms 110135261351 119
Neoplasm Metastasis 23858322211 118
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck 11012442271 97
Neoplasms 30637311222 93

Most active sponsors

#SponsorTrialsPhase 3
1National Cancer Institute (NCI)8218
2Sun Yat-sen University5832
3M.D. Anderson Cancer Center393
4Fudan University3512
5Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology3214
6European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer - EORTC3116
7Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center310
8UNICANCER3115
9Hoffmann-La Roche3011
10Sanofi2913

Most studied interventions

#InterventionTrials
1Fluorouracil1959
2Leucovorin1042
3Oxaliplatin877
4Irinotecan484
5Cisplatin441
6Bevacizumab302
7Capecitabine295
8Docetaxel231
9Radiotherapy223
10Gemcitabine196

Evidence

Results reported
43.3%407 of 939 completed
Published
25.1%236 of 939 completed
Primary endpoint met
42.1%80 of 190 analyses
Median months to report
19

Documents disclosed

Protocol available
196
Statistical analysis plan
193
PubMed citations
637

Trial profile

Median enrollment
78
Median duration
56months
Countries
85
Study sites
22883

Who is enrolled

Adults
1941
Children
124
Older adults
1926
Healthy volunteers
29

Median enrollment by phase

Early Phase 1
22
Phase 1
31
Phase 1/2
45
Phase 2
53
Phase 2/3
192
Phase 3
400
Phase 4
60
Not applicable
74
Unknown
150

Where trials run

United States
886
China
380
France
238
Germany
198
Italy
186
Spain
172
United Kingdom
161
Canada
156
Japan
132
South Korea
131

Busiest cities

#CityCountryTrials
1New YorkUnited States225
2ChicagoUnited States181
3BostonUnited States180
4HoustonUnited States175
5Los AngelesUnited States172
6GuangzhouChina161
7St LouisUnited States161
8PhiladelphiaUnited States153
9BarcelonaSpain144
10MadridSpain144

Terminations

Terminated
201
Withdrawn
77
Suspended
6
Stopped for recruitment
3.8%74 of 1959 trials

Stated reasons

Other / unclear
143
Recruitment
74
Funding
15
Business decision
13
Regulatory
13
Safety
13
Lack of efficacy
12
COVID-19
1

Reasons are grouped from the sponsor's own wording with a rule-based classifier; the original text is shown below.

Recently stopped

TrialStatusStated reasonStopped
NCT04329221 Withdrawn Withdrawn The study was withdrawn due to lack of financial support. 2030-01-31
NCT04642287 Withdrawn Withdrawn The study was withdrawn due to lack of financial support. 2030-01-31
NCT05062889 Suspended Suspended due to earlier termination of the agreement between the Sponsor and Central Laboratory for screening test. Enrollment will reopen as soon as a new laboratory is identified. 2029-12-31
NCT05358704 Suspended Suspended no slots available 2028-01-30
NCT03203525 Terminated Terminated \<75% participation 2026-07-22
NCT02366819 Suspended Suspended Pending data analysis 2026-06-08
NCT00707473 Terminated Terminated \<75% participation 2026-06-01
NCT04488159 Withdrawn Withdrawn Lack of funding. 2026-06-01
NCT04949256 Terminated Terminated Trial was rendered as cancelled work ongoing in the book of business. 2026-05-20
NCT06704724 Terminated Terminated The trial was terminated for strategic business reasons; the decision was not based on any safety and/or efficacy concerns. 2026-05-12

Trial records