Study Findings On Colon Cancer Are Outlined In Reports From Mayo Clinic, Medical Department

NewsRx.com

October 8, 2009

"Genetic variability in drug-metabolizing enzymes and signaling pathways affects chemotherapy-related toxicity and treatment outcome in cancer. in breast and colorectal. cancer, polymorphisms in metabolic enzymes involved in tamoxifen and irinotecan therapies has led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to address genetic factors relevant to patient consideration of treatment with these compounds," investigators in the United States report.

"Tamoxifen therapeutic failure in breast cancer has been associated with reduced CYP2D6 activity due to inefficient activation of tamoxifen. Irinotecan toxicity in colorectal cancer is more common in patients with reduced-activity UGT1A alleles, resulting in excessive exposure to the potent SN-38 metabolite. In colorectal and lung cancers, somatic mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor and downstream signaling molecules have been associated with the therapeutic outcome of epidermal growth factor receptor-directed therapies. This review discusses the current knowledge regarding the utility of single gene-UGT1A1, CYP2D6, EGFR, and KRAS-or multigene analysis, for optimizing breast, colorectal, and lung cancer therapy," wrote C.L.H. Snozek and colleagues, Mayo Clinic, Medical Department.

The researchers concluded: "Current advances in these areas highlight how pharmacogenetics help personalized decision-making for patient management. (J Mol Diagn 2009, 11:381-389; DOI: 10.2353/jmoldx.2009.090003)'."

Snozek and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics (Pharmacogenetics of Solid Tumors: Directed Therapy in Breast, Lung, and Colorectal Cancer A Paper from the 2008 William Beaumont Hospital Symposium on Molecular Pathology. Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, 2009;11(5):381-389).

For additional information, contact C.L.H. Snozek, Mayo Clinic, College Medical, Dept. of Laboratory Med & Pathology, Division Clinic Biochemistry & Immunology, Hilton 730, 200 1st St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.

The publisher of the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics can be contacted at: American Society Investigative Pathology, Inc., 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3993, USA.

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