Panel Presentation: DPYD Testing: Pharmacogenomics in a Clinical Setting

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and capecitabine are fluoropyrimidine chemotherapies that are used to treat a range of solid tumours including breast, pancreatic, stomach and colorectal. Metabolism of fluoropyrimidines requires dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), a rate-limiting enzyme encoded by the DPYD gene. Several variants within DPYD are known to cause reduced or abolished DPD activity. Patients harbouring one of these variants are at an increased risk of severe or fatal fluoropyrimidine toxicity. DPD deficiency screening using the YourGene DPYD kit has been implemented in order to identify those patients at increased risk of toxicity and reduce the likelihood of adverse drug reactions.

Learning Objectives:

1. To understand the importance of DPYD testing prior to treatment with fluoropyrimidine chemotherapies

2. To understand how the DPYD testing service has been implemented for use in routine clinical practice