Letters to the Editor The effects of capecitabine in Raynaud’s disease: a case report

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is one of a number of chemotherapeutic agents associated with cardiovascular toxicities, with an inci-dence ranging from 2 % to 10 % [1–3]. Side-effects including angina, arrhythmias, ventricular dysfunction and myocardial infarction, along with the induction and exacerbation of Ray-naud’s disease, are well documented. With the increasing use of the oral 5-FU prodrug capecitabine, recent reports suggest that its cardiotoxic incidence is similar to that of 5-FU at 3% [4]. However, at present there is no clear documentation relat-ing to its effects on peripheral vasospasm. This case report is based on a patient who experienced profound deterioration of Raynaud’s disease whilst receiving capecitabine chemotherapy. In March 2003, an 86-year-old man with a long-standing his-tory of Raynaud’s disease was diagnosed with Dukes ’ B (pT2 pN0) adenocarcinoma of the rectum. He proceeded to a