Single nucleotide polymorphisms: impact on susceptibility to chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer

Abstract

Background Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in enzyme-coding genes play a role in susceptibility to anti-cancer therapy.Materials & Methods A prospective study was performed of the relationship between enzyme activity and treatment response, drug toxicity and hypersensitivity reactions in 51 patients with colorectal cancer treated with fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy. SNP analysis was performed in 22 enzyme-coding genes with a previously described role in treatment efficacy.Results SLC6 and MTHR enzyme activity was related with rates of progressive disease, GSTP1 activity with anti-EGFR antibodies-related skin toxicity, CYP3A5 and MTHR with chemotherapy dose reduction, CYP2B6, IL10, MTHR and TYMS activity with the risk of drug hypersensitivity reactions.Conclusion Pharmacogenetics is a valuable predictive marker in oncology, related to chemotherapy treatment response, toxicity and hypersensitivity.

Keywords

• Polymorphisms
• SNPs
• colorectal cancer
• chemotherapy
• toxicity
• hypersensitivity