Health Dictionary Find a Doctor

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency


Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency (DPD deficiency) is a condition in which there is absent or significantly decreased activity of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase. 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.

Current research suggests that nearly 8% of the population has at least partial DPD deficiency. A diagnostics determination test for DPD deficiency is available and it is expected that with a potential 500,000 people in North America using 5-FU this form of testing will increase.

For a thorough scientific overview of Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency, one can consult chapter 91 of OMMBID[1]. For more online resources and references, see inborn errors of metabolism.

References

References

  1. Charles Scriver, Beaudet, A.L., Valle, D., Sly, W.S., Vogelstein, B., Childs, B., Kinzler, K.W. (Accessed 2007). The Online Metabolic and Molecular Bases of Inherited Disease. New York: McGraw-Hill. – Summaries of 255 chapters, full text through many universities. There is also the OMMBID blog.
  • van Kuilenburg A (2006). “Screening for dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency: to do or not to do, that’s the question”. Cancer Invest. 24 (2): 215–7. PMID 16537192.
  • Lee A, Ezzeldin H, Fourie J, Diasio R (2004). “Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency: impact of pharmacogenetics on 5-Fluorouracil therapy”. Clin Adv Hematol Oncol. 2 (8): 527–32. PMID 16163233.
External links

Template:WH Template:WS

Looking for the patient version?

Back to the patient-friendly article

© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH