European journal of cancer : official journal for European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) [and] European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
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The identification of genetic factors associated with either responsiveness or resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy, as well as genetic factors predisposing patients to the development of severe 5-FU-associated toxicity, is increasingly being recognised as an important field of study. Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in the catabolism of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Although the role of tumoral levels as a prognostic factor for clinical responsiviness has not been firmly established, there is ample evidence that a deficiency of DPD is associated with severe toxicity after the administration of 5-FU. ⋯ To date, 39 different mutations and polymorphisms have been identified in DPYD. The IVS14+1G>A mutation proved to be the most common one and was detected in 24-28% of all patients suffering from severe 5-FU toxicity. Thus, a deficiency of DPD appears to be an important pharmacogenetic syndrome.