Day 7 of 12 Education:

It is estimated that cancer will affect 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men during their lifetime.

Breast and colon are two very common cancers. Both types of cancer are often treated with a drug called a “fluoropyrimidine” such as capecitabine (Xeloda) and 5-fluorouracil that

disrupts DNA and RNA synthesis.

These medications can be effective in treating cancer, but for a 1000 or so people each year in the US, they are deadly.

These medications are metabolized by an enzyme, DPYD. Genetic variants in the gene can mean a person makes less of this enzyme than expected. Having low, or sometimes absent, enzyme levels place a patient at risk for toxicity from the chemo drug and this toxicity can include death.

A pharmacogenomics test can look at the DPYD gene for common variants and if one or two copies are identified, then the doctor can use this information to either decrease the starting dose of the chemo drug or pick an entirely different drug.

Knowledge of your DPYD gene status won’t eliminate the risk of toxicity and death from fluoropyrimidines, but it does significantly reduce the risk.

You can use information from a pharmacogenomics test for years to come. No need to wait until you actually need the information, get tested soon.