[Pharmacogenomics of acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

Med Sci (Paris). 2007 Nov;23(11):961-7. doi: 10.1051/medsci/20072311961.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Pharmacogenomics of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) evolved rapidly in the past few years. Majority of recent findings concerns knowledge on key components of ALL treatment, 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate. Leukemia is the most common cancer affecting children, with ALL comprising 80 % of all leukemia cases. Introduction of treatment protocols composed of several chemotherapeutic agents improved importantly survival in patients with ALL. Nevertheless, ALL is still the leading cause of cancer-related death in children. Interindividual differences in drug responses are an important cause of resistance to treatment and adverse drug reactions. Identifying pharmacogenomic determinants of drugs used in ALL treatment may allow for prospective identification of patients with suboptimal drug responses allowing for complementation of traditional treatment protocols by genotype-based drug dose adjustment.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Mercaptopurine / therapeutic use
  • Methotrexate / therapeutic use
  • Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / drug therapy*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / enzymology
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / genetics*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Mercaptopurine
  • Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)
  • Methotrexate