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A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) method is reported for simultaneous determination of alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine (FBA), the major end metabolite of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and 5-FU in plasma samples isolated from cancer patients. 5-Chlorouracil (5-CIU, 1 micrograms/ml) is added to samples as an internal standard. The method relies on protein precipitation of the plasma sample followed by derivatisation with pentafluorobenzyl bromide. Following sample purification with Sep-pak C18 columns the derivatives are analysed by GC-MS, with FBA, 5-FU and 5-CIU being determined at 36.96-37.03, 46.91-46.98 and 51.99-52.13 min, respectively. The ions measured in each case had m/z of 390, 490 and 506, respectively. The method showed good reproducibility with coefficients of variation between 3 and 10%, with a detection limit of < 1 ng/ml for 5-FU and < 5 ng FBA/ml plasma. The possibility of sensitive determination of FBA without the use of radioisotopes should permit routine estimation of rates of 5-FU metabolism in individual patients.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/s0378-4347(97)88059-0

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl

Publication Date

10/01/1997

Volume

688

Pages

87 - 93

Keywords

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic, Blood Proteins, Fluorobenzenes, Fluorouracil, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Humans, Linear Models, Osmolar Concentration, Reproducibility of Results, beta-Alanine