Background: The correlation between DPYD*9A (c.85T>C) genotype and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency clinical phenotype is controversial. Reference laboratories either did not perform DPYD*9A genotyping or have stopped DPYD*9A genotyping and limited genotyping to high-risk variants (DPYD*2A, DPYD*13 and DPYD*9B) only. This study explored DPYD*9A genotype and clinical phenotype correlation in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies treated with fluoropyrimidines.
Methods: Between 2011 and 2017, 67 patients with GI malignancies were genotyped for DPYD variants. Fluoropyrimidines-associated toxicity was graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 3.0). Fisher's exact test was used for statistical analysis.
Results: DPYD variants were identified in 17 out of 67 (25%) patients. One patient was homozygous for DPYD*9A variant and one patient was double heterozygous for DPYD*9A and DPYD*9B variants. In patients with identified DPYD variants, 13/17 (76%) patients had DPYD*9A variant, 3/17 (18%) patients had DPYD*2A variant and 2/17 (12%) patient had DPYD*9B variant. Only patients genotyped prior to 2015 were genotyped for DPYD*9A variant (N=28). Of those, 13/28 patients (46%) had DPYD*9A variant. Grade 3-4 diarrhea was associated with DPYD*9A variant in patients treated with full dose fluoropyrimidines (P=0.0055).
Conclusions: In our cohort, DPYD*9A variant was the most common diagnosed variant. The correlation between DPYD*9A genotype and DPD deficiency in clinical phenotype was noticeable in patients who received full dose fluoropyrimidines as they all experienced grade 3-4 toxicities (diarrhea).
Keywords: DPYD*9A (c.85T>C) variant; Germline pharmacogenomics; dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD); fluorouracil (FU); gastrointestinal malignancy.