Pharmacogenetic tests in cancer chemotherapy: what physicians should know for clinical application

Significant efforts to develop pharmacogenomic predictors have been made to guide more effective and safer chemotherapy. Although a considerable amount of data has been generated from numerous experimental or clinical studies, there is a large gap between pharmacogenomic knowledge and clinical application. This review will focus on eight pharmacogenetic tests including TYMS, DPYD, UGT1A1, CYP2D6, EGFR, KRAS, FCGR3A, and BRCA1/2 to predict toxicity or response to commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. We will discuss the current level of evidence, if the current pharmacogenetic tests are appropriate for clinical application, and how to integrate the pharmacogenomic information into routine clinical practice. Copyright (C) 2010 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.