Preventing serious side effects: DNA testing is the key
A news report on NOS (January 2022) pointed to the importance of a DNA test for preventing serious side effects of chemotherapy.
Side effects as a result of chemotherapy or other medication are a major problem in healthcare. They can lead, for example, to more damage to health and hospital admissions. Some of the side effects can be prevented with the help of a so-called pharmacogenetic DNA test. Variations in DNA are very common and are determined individually. The genetic profile plays a role in the breakdown of medicines and thereby affects their effectiveness and the likelihood of side effects.
Personalised treatments
Medicines are converted and processed in the body by various enzymes. As a result of genetic variations in the DNA, the action of enzymes can differ from person to person.
The news report on NOS is about the medicine irinotecan (chemotherapy), which is processed by the UGT1A1 enzyme. According to the researchers, people with a specific DNA variant in the UGT1A1 gene suffer significantly fewer side effects if they are given a lower dose of the chemotherapy. Despite the lower dose, the medicine remains effective in fighting the disease.
By mapping the DNA variants in the UGT1A1 gene before using irinotecan, the dose can be made specific and person-centred. “This prevents a great deal of suffering”, according to researcher Maarten Deenen (Catharina Hospital in Eindhoven).
Incidentally, dosage advice based on genetic markers has been given for years by the KNMP (Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association), including for irinotecan.
iGene DNA test
By mapping the right genetic markers with a pharmacogenetic DNA test, a doctor or pharmacist can therefore adjust the dose to prevent side effects.
At iGene, the UGT1A1 gene is presented as standard in the Pharmacogenetic profile. You can therefore have this information mapped preventively, together with 20 other pharmaco-enzymes and (transport) proteins. In this way you always have important information about your sensitivity to medicines at hand.
In addition to irinotecan, iGene gives dosage advice, based on KNMP guidelines, for more than 60 other medicines. These medicines are also included at iGene in the list ‘Drug sensitivity’.
iGene
FARMA
iGene also maps UGT1A1 gene variants, along with other important pharmacogenetic markers. Look here for the full overview.