How does XELODA work?
Xeloda has a unique 3-step activation mechanism. Xeloda is inactive when it is swallowed, and it is absorbed through the stomach into a woman’s bloodstream. The first two steps of the activation process take place in the liver, where Xeloda begins to be converted into the cancer-killing agent – 5-FU. The final step of activation takes place in the cancer cells themselves where Xeloda is finally converted to 5-FU by an enzyme, found at higher levels in cancer cells than in healthy cells. This means Xeloda only becomes active when it reaches the cancer, where it is needed and has less affect on a woman’s healthy cells – for example: cells responsible for hair growth.
