To the Editor.—
Fluorouracil administered as a single agent has been the standard therapy for patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma. This chemotherapeutic agent has multiple cutaneous side effects. We report a case of reactivation or "recall" of a previous toxic cutaneous reaction resulting from intravenous fluorouracil. This occurred in a patient with metastatic gastrointestinal carcinoma who received several cycles of intravenous fluorouracil and/or leucovorin followed by daily subcutaneous granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. With each successive cycle, a more severe toxic erythema developed on the arm receiving the infusion. When the infusion site was switched to the opposite limb, a cutaneous flare occurred not only on the arm currently receiving the infusion but on the previously reactive, resting arm.
Report of a Case.—
A 43-year-old white man with adenocarcinoma of the colon (stage D) was entered in a phase I protocol of intravenous bolus fluorouracil (490 mg/m2) and leucovorin calcium (500