UFT

tanstaafl

Momofbbcc Posts: 8 Joined: Sep 2014

Dec 27, 2014 - 12:51 am Uft   New Where and how can you get UFT treatment delivered to your home? My dad started IV chemo last week for his colorectal cancer that has now spread to his para aortic lymph nodes and liver, and I am very worried about it for him, as he is 77 years old. Any help/advice would be so appreciated.

 [link to previous IVC for 3 thread] 

Outside of trials, UFT  is not legally available in the US, strictly speaking, even when Customs allows it in under a program of forebearance.  That said, UFT and various brands are for sale in Asia, South America, UK, parts of Europe, and potentially the British Caribbean islands (you would have to pre-order it to an island 1-4 weeks ahead from UK).  Some of the asian countries' generics would be lowest priced, perhaps as low as $1 - $2 a pill at retail or local delivery.  Other countries, perhaps $5+ per pill.  UFT is a branded generic abbreviation, Uracil - FT(tegafur) - cute.

Personally, I believe that continuous immunochemotherapy with UFT combinations and other nontoxic treatments are the best way to fight metastatic spread through lymph nodes, and control CRC mets below some minimum size.

Tegafur-uracil (UFT) is the nicest 5FU on the planet when used well. With low dose combinations, it's pretty easy to use, particularly with PSK, once you weed most folic acid out (a special US hazard, not in Europe and Asia) and improve some nutrients.  Truth to tell, we haven't talked to an oncologist about it in years (they just pooh-poohed it and wouldn't help), we inform our surgeon annually, and occasionally consult with our alternative/internal medicine doctor who hasn't used it much before either.  I did do a lot of initial homework and fine tuning on nutrition chemistry and bloodwork.  Very few US doctors have any experience with UFT and typically US trials have used it the American way, as cyclical Maximum Tolerated Doses of UFT + leucovorin (UFT-LV), rather than as the Japanese do.  The Japanese developed UFT as a relatively low dose, daily immunochemotherapy with PSK.  Some have added cimetidine for long term treatment of metastatic cancers or CUP (cancer of unknown primary origin).  We added a few more things including, now, celecoxib, but have to be very careful with the celecoxib.      

Theoretically, the "proper way" to get forebearance is to be overseas, get cancer, start treatment (or be overseas for some months) and come back to the US with something like a 57 day supply, instead of the usual 90 days.  They would like either a previous long experience of use or a local US doctor to sign on its support. The FDA/Customs "rules" get  really squirrelly and they specifically reserve the right to seize it at any moment, even when you're taking it.  That said, mailing in 60-90 day batches at some maximum dose with an attached foreign prescription would probably work. We've mailed in a smaller batch before, just in case of travel problems with personal carry (and seizure) at US airports.

 So, with our taxes hard at work, chemo can be better in 3rd world countries, and 5 FU's for the FDA.