Klin Onkol 2007; 20(1): 13-17.
Summary
Introduction of concepts of pharmacogenetics to the clinical settings has had an impact on individualization of drug treatment, and could therefore contribute significantly to enhanced drug safety and efficacy. Drug–metabolizing enzymes are typical representatives that have been intensively investigated. Thus, genotyping is expected to provide a new tool for predicting individual drug-metabolizing capabilities before treatment begins. New technologies and the rapidly increasing knowledge about the molecular basis of diseases provide an important opportunity for the future of medicine. Today, on average, 30% of patients receiving medicines derive no benefit. This is partly due to the fact that one drug is used to treat a whole range of genetically different individuals and the drug is not equally effective for all. A molecular understanding of the basis of diseases plus overall as well as cellular pharmacokinetics of a drug in an individual will allow the disease to be treated much more effectively. We refer to this as individualized therapy.
