When you take a medicine (or drug), your body needs to find a way to use it. Some proteins in your body break down (or metabolize) medicines. Breaking down a medicine can make it more or less active, based on the kind of medicine. If your body breaks down a medicine too fast or too slowly, this may cause the medicine to not work as well. It may also cause a side effect.
The NUDT15 gene gives instructions to your body to make a protein. It is the job of the NUDT15 protein to break down certain medicines. These medicines include thiopurines and are used in the treatment of cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other conditions. Examples of these medicines are:
By testing your DNA, we can find DNA differences. This can help us to see how well the proteins in your body work to break down certain medicines.
The results of your NUDT15 gene test put you into 1 of 3 groups:
The results of this test can help your doctor choose the right medicine and dose for you.