Capecitabine is used in combination with other medications to treat breast cancer that has come back after treatment with other medications. It is also used alone to treat breast cancer that has not improved after treatment with other medications. Capecitabine is also used to treat colon or rectal cancer (cancer that begins in the large intestine) that has gotten worse or spread to other parts of the body. It is also used to prevent colon cancer from spreading in people who have had surgery to remove the tumor. Capecitabine is in a class of medications called antimetabolites. It works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells.
Fluorouracil is generally used in combination with other medications to treat colon cancer or rectal cancer (cancer that begins in the large intestine) that has gotten worse or spread to other parts of the body. Fluorouracil is used in combination with other medications to treat certain types of breast cancer after surgery to remove the tumor or radiation therapy. Fluorouracil is also used to treat cancer of the pancreas and stomach cancer. Fluorouracil is in a class of medications called antimetabolites. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in your body.
Mercaptopurine is used alone or with other chemotherapy drugs to treat acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL; also called acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute lymphatic leukemia; a type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells). Mercaptopurine is in a class of medications called purine antagonists. It works by stopping the growth of cancer cells.
