Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency

dianetavegia
dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
A lady on a teeny forum has had problems with her blood counts and platelets during chemo. Her doctor tested her for an enzyme (test was special and took longer to come back). They're retesting her now. I've not ever seen a discussion on this and it's quite scary.

Has anyone ever heard of this or been tested for this?


Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency (DPD deficiency) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder in which there is absent or significantly decreased activity of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, an enzyme involved in the metabolism of uracil and thymine.

Individuals with this condition may develop life-threatening toxicity following exposure to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a chemotherapy drug that is used in the treatment of cancer.

Comments

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #2
    Thanks
    I have an appointment with a new oncologist on Wednesday to discuss this issue and I will bring this up. The nurse told me today that this is very common. My Platelets have gone up 130 points in one week so I am back in the normal range. We'll see if this shot works, but no guarantees because they say it usually takes 10 shots and I'm only getting two before next blood test. Thank you for the information, and yes, that is scary.

    Kim
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #3
    DPD Deficiency
    DPD deficiency is well known as a contraindication for 5FU/Xeloda. It is pretty rare - perhaps 3-5% of the population is sufficiently DPD deficient for it to matter. I'm sure there are issues related to testing - I think there is a test but it may be recent - too tired to research it now.

    My oncologist told me about in my first meeting with her in 6/05. At that time she said it was most common among people of English ancestory. As I understand it the side effects are hideous and immediate. I doubt that low blood counts after a few treatments is indicative of this.

    Betsy
    Stage IV, diagnosed 5/05
  • angelsbaby
    angelsbaby Member Posts: 1,165 Member
    #4
    Betsydoglover said:

    DPD Deficiency
    DPD deficiency is well known as a contraindication for 5FU/Xeloda. It is pretty rare - perhaps 3-5% of the population is sufficiently DPD deficient for it to matter. I'm sure there are issues related to testing - I think there is a test but it may be recent - too tired to research it now.

    My oncologist told me about in my first meeting with her in 6/05. At that time she said it was most common among people of English ancestory. As I understand it the side effects are hideous and immediate. I doubt that low blood counts after a few treatments is indicative of this.

    Betsy
    Stage IV, diagnosed 5/05

    SHISH KA BOBS
    JUST THE NAME IS SCAREY.



    MICHELLE PS I ALWAYS SAY THAT (SHISH KA BOBS) ANGEL LIKED THAT

    TAKE CARE

    MICHELLE
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #5
    Betsydoglover said:

    DPD Deficiency
    DPD deficiency is well known as a contraindication for 5FU/Xeloda. It is pretty rare - perhaps 3-5% of the population is sufficiently DPD deficient for it to matter. I'm sure there are issues related to testing - I think there is a test but it may be recent - too tired to research it now.

    My oncologist told me about in my first meeting with her in 6/05. At that time she said it was most common among people of English ancestory. As I understand it the side effects are hideous and immediate. I doubt that low blood counts after a few treatments is indicative of this.

    Betsy
    Stage IV, diagnosed 5/05

    Betsy re: my friend
    My friend lost her hair, eyelashes, eyebrows. Her blood work has been bad since her first tx. She's spent 9 months in the house because of her WBC's. NOW they test her for this and want to re-run the test.... She's 64 and Stage III but has already given up Oxi thinking that was the problem. I feel so bad for her.

    **UPDATED: GG wrote me last night and said the onc has ordered more urine and blood tests for this possible DD deficiency. They cut her 5-FU another 50% and she isn't quite as ill.

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