The Upcoming Challenges of Drug Therapy with an Approach Based on Personalized Medicine

Despite the significant effect in the use of drugs in diseases, even with the correct diagnosis, not all patients respond favorably to the drugs. Also, some patients suffer more from the side effects of drugs. Pharmacogenetic studies have shown that the polymorphism of drug metabolizing enzymes, transporters and receptors are involved in the different responses of patients to drugs. Considering the complexity of drug therapy, a broader genomics approach with the aim of finding new drug targets and optimizing treatment for each patient seems necessary. However, pharmacogenomics has been able to provide clinical solutions in several clinical situations such as the use of Herceptin in women with breast cancer. Another example is mercaptopurine, which is recommended to patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Some patients have a genetic variant that interferes with their ability to process this drug. This processing problem can cause severe side effects unless the standard amount is adjusted according to the patient's genetic makeup.