5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) remains to be an important chemotherapeutic drug for treating several cancers when targeted therapy is unavailable. Chemoresistance limits the clinical utility of 5-FU, and new strategies are required to overcome the resistance. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants are balanced differently in both normal and cancer cells. Modulating ROS can be one method of overcoming 5-FU resistance. This review summarizes selected compounds and endogenous cellular targets modulating ROS generation to overcome 5-FU resistance.
Keywords: 5-Fluorouracil; Cancer; Reactive oxygen species; Resistance.