Non-CYP2D6 variants selected by GWAS improved the prediction of impaired tamoxifen metabolism in breast cancer patients

Background: Current reports suggest that a certain minimum plasma concentration of (Z)-endoxifen is required for breast cancer patient to benefit from tamoxifen therapy. A reliable prediction of which patients are at risk for insufficient exposure to (Z)-endoxifen would be relevant for optimizing treatment, e.g. by adjusting the dose, from the very beginning. The objective of this study was to search for new DNA variants that could be helpful in the preemptive prediction of impaired tamoxifen to endoxifen metabolism. Methods: The molecular ratio (MR) was defined as (Z)-endoxifen plasma concentration divided by the sum of concentrations of tamoxifen and other measured metabolites. The MR of 0.0146, previously delineated as corresponding to (Z)-endoxifen 6 ng/ml efficacy threshold level, was adopted as a cut-off value in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) comprising 287 breast cancer patients receiving tamoxifen 20 mg daily. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used for the pre-selection of variables that showed independent impact on MR and to develop models predictive for MR value below the threshold. Results: In total, 13 GWAS-selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located outside the CYP2D6 gene and two known CYP2D6 variants were significantly associated with the MR value below 0.0146. The strongest association was observed for rs8138080 in WBP2NL (p = 1.78 x 10-15). The minor allele of six SNPs was associated with a decreased risk of impaired tamoxifen metabolism. CYP2D6 genotype was found by Nagelkerke pseudo-R2 to explain 42.7% of a total variation observed in MR, while rs8138080 alone explained 33.7% of this variability. Two alternative models for MR prediction have been developed. The prediction accuracy of Model 1, including rs7245, rs6950784 and rs1320308 in addition to CYP2D6 genotype, was considerably higher than predictive performance of CYP2D6 genotype alone (AUC increase from 0.758 to 0.879). The AUC of 0.830 achieved for the Model 2, developed with the same three SNPs as in Model 1 and rs8138080 instead of CYP2D6 genotype, makes it an interesting, simplified alternative to the costly and time-consuming testing of full CYP2D6 genotype. Conclusions: The four novel SNPs, tested alone or in addition to CYP2D6 genotype, improved the prediction of impaired tamoxifen to endoxifen metabolism, allowing for adjustments in dosing regimen before the treatment begins. 192 DNA samples were selected from previously described, based on the ratio of the sum of two tamoxifen active metabolites ((Z)-endoxifen and (Z)-4-OH-Tam) plasma concentration to the sum of the concentration of tamoxifen and the remaining measured compounds; 96 samples represented the highest ratio and the next 96 samples the lowest one. >>>Submitter states that no raw data are available.<<<