How should I dose S‑1 (tegafur) 15 mg capsules for a patient with a body surface area of 1.6 m²?

Medical Advisory BoardAll articles are reviewed for accuracy by our Medical Advisory Board
Educational purpose only • Exercise caution as content is pending human review
Article Review Status
Submitted
Under Review
Approved

Last updated: February 11, 2026View editorial policy

Personalize

Help us tailor your experience

Which best describes you? Your choice helps us use language that's most understandable for you.

S-1 (Tegafur) Dosing for BSA 1.6 m²

For a patient with body surface area (BSA) of 1.6 m², the standard S-1 dose is 80 mg/m²/day, which calculates to 128 mg/day total, typically administered as 60 mg twice daily (morning and evening) after meals for 28 consecutive days followed by 14 days rest. 1

Dose Calculation and Administration

  • Standard dosing: S-1 is administered at 80 mg/m²/day, given orally twice daily after meals 1
  • For BSA 1.6 m²: 80 mg/m² × 1.6 m² = 128 mg/day total dose
  • Practical dosing: Round to 60 mg twice daily (120 mg/day) or 65 mg twice daily (130 mg/day) depending on available capsule strengths
  • Treatment schedule: 28 days of consecutive administration followed by 14 days rest constitutes one cycle 1
  • Duration: Treatment is typically repeated for four cycles initially 1

Dosing Adjustments Based on Toxicity

  • If neutrophil count <1500/μL or platelet count <100,000/μL: Postpone treatment for maximum 2 weeks 2
  • If neutrophils 1000-1500/μL or platelets 70,000-100,000/μL after delay: Reduce dose by 50% 2
  • If counts remain below these thresholds: Discontinue treatment 2

Expected Toxicity Profile

  • Common adverse reactions (78% incidence): Generally mild and manageable 1
  • Grade 3-4 toxicity (20% incidence): Includes decreased hematocrit, leucopenia, granulocytopenia, diarrhea, malaise, and proteinuria 1
  • Gastrointestinal toxicity: Most frequent side effect, with grade 3-4 occurring in approximately 17.5% of patients 2
  • Hematological toxicity: Minimal severe toxicity expected 2
  • Hand-foot syndrome: Occurs in approximately 5% of patients 2

Clinical Context

  • Response rate: Approximately 49% in advanced gastric cancer and 32.5% in metastatic colorectal cancer 1, 2
  • Combination with streptozotocin: In pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, S-1 has been combined with STZ at doses of 350-1000 mg/m² weekly or 500 mg/m² days 1-5 every 6 weeks 3
  • Advantage over IV therapy: Oral administration improves quality of life while maintaining similar efficacy to IV fluorouracil regimens 2, 4

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

Have a follow-up question?

Our Medical A.I. is used by practicing medical doctors at top research institutions around the world. Ask any follow up question and get world-class guideline-backed answers instantly.