Fluorouracil

• You may know this drug as: Adrucil®, Efudex®, Fluorplex®
• Why it's commonly used: This chemotherapy drug is used to treat various types of cancer, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and many others.
• Side effects: Severe toxicity, which can make you very ill and sometimes even be fatal
• What you can do: Knowing your genetic risk of side effects allows you and your doctor to choose the right drugs for you, and opt for alternatives if needed.
• Did you know? Side effects occur in up to 31 percent of patients taking this drug.

Some of us carry genetic variants that make it more difficult for the body to break down fluorouracil quickly, resulting in a toxic buildup of the drug. Navigenics tests for the most common genetic variant related to this problem. People with this genetic variant have been shown to have higher odds of developing a range of severe side effects after treatment with fluorouracil.

None of us ever wants to be in need of cancer treatment. But if you ever should need chemotherapy, knowing your genetic risk for fluorouracil side effects can help you and your doctor make medication choices that are right for you, and perhaps make the fight against cancer a little easier.