Interindividual differences in tumor response and normal tissue toxicities are consistently observed with most chemotherapeutic agents or regimens. While many clinical variables have been associated with drug responses (e.g., age, gender, diet, drug-drug interactions), inherited variations in drug disposition (metabolism and transport) genes and drug target genes also likely contribute to the observed variability in cancer treatment outcome. Pharmacogenomic studies aim to elucidate the genetic bases for interindividual differences and to use such genetic information to predict the safety, toxicity, and/or efficacy of drugs. There exist several clinically relevant examples of the utility of pharmacogenomics that associate specific genetic polymorphisms in drug metabolizing enzymes (e.g., TPMT, UGT1A1, DPD), drug transporters (MDR1) ,
INTRODUCTIONPharmacogenomics is a rapidly growing field that aims to elucidate the genetic basis for interindividual differences in drug response and to use such genetic information to predict the safety, toxicity, and/or efficacy of drugs in individual patients or groups of patients. While drug-drug The Oncologist ® Clinical Pharmacology
LEARNING OBJECTIVESAfter completing this course, the reader will be able to:1. Explain how genetic factors contribute to variability in drug response.2. Apply this understanding to clinical outcomes in patients treated with specific chemotherapy agents.
Describe approaches for improving clinical cancer therapy and cancer drug development.Access and take the CME test online and receive 1 hour of AMA PRA category 1 credit at CME.TheOncologist.com CME CME by guest on August 28, 2018 http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/
Downloaded fromThis material is protected by U.S. Copyright law.Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. For reprints contact: Reprints@AlphaMedPress.com interactions and environmental factors significantly contribute to interindividual variability in drug response, genetic factors (e.g., inherited variability of drug targets, drug metabolizing enzymes, and/or drug transporters) also appear to have a major impact on drug response and disposition (Fig. 1). Considering the significant heterogeneity associated with patient responses to chemotherapeutic agents and their narrow therapeutic indices, pharmacogenomics has the potential to offer individualized cancer treatment regimens [1][2][3]. Clearly, a better understanding of the genetic determinants of chemotherapeutic response will enable prospective identification of patients at risk for severe toxicity or those most likely to benefit from a particular treatment regimen. Such studies can be translated to clinical practice via molecular diagnostics (genotyping) in order to guide selection of the optimal drug combination and dosage for the individual patient. A number of detailed reviews on cancer pharmacogenomics have been published recently [1][2][3][4][5][6]. This article focuses on the current and future applications of pharmacogenomics in clinical cancer therapy and cance...