Application of pharmacogenomics in the individualization of chemotherapy for gastrointestinal malignancies.

The large number of active combination chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers has led to the need for better information to guide the "standard" treatment for each patient. In an attempt to individualize therapy, pharmacogenomics evaluates the hereditary basis for interindividual differences in drug response. This report will focus on the results of studies assessing the effects of polymorphisms in drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug targets on the toxicity and response to chemotherapy drugs commonly used to treat gastrointestinal malignancies.