Pharmacogenomics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Pharmacogenomics, including details on pharmacology, designer drugs, customized medicines.

Pharmacogenetics of colorectal cancer.

Marsh S

Division of Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8069, St Louis, MO 63110, USA. smarsh@im.wustl.edu

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in both men and women. Multiple chemotherapy combinations exist; however, there is currently no strategy for individualised therapy selection prior to treatment. Genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in the metabolism, transport or targets for the commonly used chemotherapy drugs (5-fluorouracil, irinotecan and oxaliplatin) have been described. Many require validation in large prospective trials before they can be used as markers for outcome and/or toxicity. This review describes the data available on polymorphisms in key genes that are associated with chemotherapy toxicity and response in colorectal cancer.

Published 30 November 2005 in Expert Opin Pharmacother, 6(15): 2607-16.
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