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A Safer Path Forward: How Genetic Testing is Changing Chemotherapy for GI Cancer Patients
Thursday, September 25, 2025
In the ongoing fight against cancer, every breakthrough brings new hope—and the latest discovery from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania is doing just that. A new study has found that simple genetic testing before chemotherapy can dramatically reduce dangerous side effects for patients battling gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, like colorectal and pancreatic cancer.
Led by Dr. Sony Tuteja, the research showed that testing for two specific genes, DPYD and UGT1A1, can help doctors personalize chemotherapy doses. Why does that matter? Because about 1 in 12 people carry genetic variants that make it harder for their bodies to process certain chemotherapy drugs. Without knowing this, patients can suffer severe side effects, including low blood counts, mouth sores, and debilitating fatigue.
But when patients were tested ahead of time, and their doses adjusted accordingly, serious side effects were cut in half. That means fewer complications, fewer hospital visits, and more people able to continue their fight against cancer without unnecessary setbacks.
This kind of precision medicine is a powerful example of how science is evolving to treat not just the disease, but the individual.
At Philly Fights Cancer, we are proud to help fund lifesaving research like this. It’s innovations like these that bring us closer to a future where cancer treatments are not only more effective—but safer, smarter, and more personal.
Read more on Penn Medicine’s website: Genetic testing lowers risks from chemo for GI cancer | Penn Medicine
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In the ongoing fight against cancer, every breakthrough brings new hope—and the latest discovery from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania is doing just that. A new study has found that simple genetic testing before chemotherapy can dramatically reduce dangerous side effects for patients battling gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, like colorectal and pancreatic cancer.
Led by Dr. Sony Tuteja, the research showed that testing for two specific genes, DPYD and UGT1A1, can help doctors personalize chemotherapy doses. Why does that matter? Because about 1 in 12 people carry genetic variants that make it harder for their bodies to process certain chemotherapy drugs. Without knowing this, patients can suffer severe side effects, including low blood counts, mouth sores, and debilitating fatigue.
But when patients were tested ahead of time, and their doses adjusted accordingly, serious side effects were cut in half. That means fewer complications, fewer hospital visits, and more people able to continue their fight against cancer without unnecessary setbacks.
This kind of precision medicine is a powerful example of how science is evolving to treat not just the disease, but the individual.
At Philly Fights Cancer, we are proud to help fund lifesaving research like this. It’s innovations like these that bring us closer to a future where cancer treatments are not only more effective—but safer, smarter, and more personal.
Read more on Penn Medicine’s website: Genetic testing lowers risks from chemo for GI cancer | Penn Medicine