Journal of Oncology Translational Research

National Clinical Guidelines Addressing DPYD Screening and Genetic Counselling Prior to Fluoropyrimidines (FU)-Based Chemotherapy

Abstract

Hatouf Sukkarieh*

Fluoropyrimidines (FU) (5-fluorouracil, capecitabine and the oral prodrug tegafur {not marketed in Saudi Arabia) are a commonly used chemotherapeutic agents to treat a wide variety of cancers. Fluoropyrimidines are used as the basis of adjuvant and  palliative treatment for colorectal, oesophago-gastric, breast and head and neck cancers. In addition, there is increasing use of the same group of drugs in pancreatic cancer and hepato-biliary malignancies. Treatment with fluoropyrimidines is well tolerated. However, severe adverse drug reactions have been recognised to occur in 5%-10% of the treated population. A considerable proportion of adverse drug reactions are likely to be the result of inter-individual genetic variation.