{"id":695,"date":"2020-08-26T09:31:37","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T09:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clinlabint.3wstaging.nl\/dpd-identification-is-key-in-avoiding-serious-reaction-to-5-fu-cancer-drug\/"},"modified":"2021-01-08T11:07:57","modified_gmt":"2021-01-08T11:07:57","slug":"dpd-identification-is-key-in-avoiding-serious-reaction-to-5-fu-cancer-drug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clinlabint.com\/dpd-identification-is-key-in-avoiding-serious-reaction-to-5-fu-cancer-drug\/","title":{"rendered":"DPD identification is key in avoiding serious reaction to 5-FU cancer drug"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before starting cancer treatment with fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapies, it is highly recommended to check for dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency by measuring uracilemia (or calculating the dihydrouracil:uracil ratio). This article discusses some of the ways of doing this.<\/b>
\nBackground<\/b>
\nApproved for treatment of humans 60 years ago, fluoropyrimidinebased chemotherapies remain important antineoplastic agents. They are widely used in Europe, for example in France 100\u00a6000 patients are medicated with this group of anticancer drugs.
\nIndeed, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and its oral pre-prodrug capecitabine are the backbone in the treatment of colorectal, pancreatic, gastric, breast, head and neck cancers. They work by interfering with enzymes (principally thymidylate synthase) involved in producing new DNA, thereby blocking the growth of cancer cells. They are administered by injection or by mouth. However, the use of fluoropyrimidines is associated with an important risk of toxicity, mainly due to deficiency of the enzyme involved in its catabolism, dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD).
\nIn France, health authorities recommend the determination of uracil concentration to guide dosing of fluoropyrimidines. Numerous liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS\/MS) methods have been proposed but they include complex liquid\u2013liquid or solid-phase extraction procedures.
\nPrescribers may be unaware that their patients lack functional DPD (encoded by the DPYD gene) and hence cannot break down fluorouracil, resulting in its build-up. This can lead to severe and life-threatening side effects such as neutropenia, neurotoxicity, severe diarrhea and stomatitis.
\nUp to 15% of patients exhibit a partial deficiency, whereas 0.1\u20130.5% may have a complete deficiency. Consequently, a 5-FU dose can lead to severe or lethal toxicity, and it is therefore highly recommended to screen for DPD status to determine a safe dose for the patient.
\nThis deficiency may be detected either by genotyping (an approach that explores the polymorphisms of the DPYD gene) or by phenotyping, which consists of measuring uracilemia or calculating the 5,6-dihydrouracil:uracil (UH2:U) ratio.
\nBrief methodological overview<\/b><\/p>\n