A study looking at enzymes and genes to help doctors work out who is likely to have more severe side effects with chemotherapy

This study was done to try to find out more about an enzyme in the blood called CDA. This may be linked to whether or not you have severe side effects from some chemotherapy drugs.

All drugs used to treat cancer cause side effects. Different drugs have different side effects. People vary in the side effects they have and in how severe they are. Some people have only very mild side effects.  

In this study, researchers were looking at an enzyme called CDA. We know from research that there is a link between the amount of CDA in the plasma and the side effects people have with some chemotherapy drugs. The study team wanted to look at CDA and genes in samples of blood from people with cancer who had never had chemotherapy.  

They hoped to develop ways of measuring in advance how treatment side effects may affect people.