Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics: a Bridge to Individualized Cancer Therapy

Abstract

In the past decade, advances in pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics (PGx) have gradually unveiled the genetic basis of interindividual differences in drug responses. A large portion of these advances have been made in the field of anticancer therapy. Currently, the US FDA has updated the package inserts of approximately 30 anticancer agents to include PGx information. Given the complexity of this genetic information (e.g., tumor mutation and gene overexpression, chromosomal translocation and germline variations), as well as the variable level of scientific evidence, the FDA recommendation and potential action needed varies among drugs. In this review, we have highlighted some of these PGx discoveries for their scientific values and utility in improving therapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects. Furthermore, examples are also provided for the role of PGx in new anticancer drug development by revealing novel druggable targets.

KEYWORDS::

• anticancer agents
• drug label
• pharmacogenetics
• pharmacogenomics

Financial & competing interests disclosure

RS Huang received support from NIH/NIGMS grant K08GM089941, NIH/NCI Grant R21 CA139278, NIH/NIGMS Pharmacogenomics of Anticancer Agents grant U01GM61393, the University of Chicago Breast Cancer SPORE Career Development Award, the University of Chicago Cancer Center Support Grant (#P30 CA14599) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the NIH (UL1RR024999). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

RS Huang received support from NIH/NIGMS grant K08GM089941, NIH/NCI Grant R21 CA139278, NIH/NIGMS Pharmacogenomics of AnticancerAgents grant U01GM61393, the University of Chicago Breast CancerSPORE Career Development Award, the University of Chicago CancerCenter Support Grant (#P30 CA14599) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the NIH (UL1RR024999). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interestin or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.