Tamoxifen is the standard-of-care treatment for estrogen receptor-positive premenopausal breast cancer. We examined tamoxifen metabolism via blood metabolite concentrations and germline variations of CYP3A5, CYP2C9, CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 in 587 premenopausal patients (Asians, Middle Eastern Arabs, Caucasian-UK; median age 39 years) and clinical outcome in 306 patients. N-desmethyltamoxifen (DM-Tam)/(Z)-endoxifen and CYP2D6 phenotype significantly correlated across ethnicities (R2: 53%, P<10−77). CYP2C19 and CYP2C9 correlated with norendoxifen and (Z)-4-hydroxytamoxifen concentrations, respectively (P<0.001). DM-Tam was influenced by body mass index (P<0.001). Improved distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) was associated with decreasing DM-Tam/(Z)-endoxifen (P=0.036) and increasing CYP2D6 activity score (hazard ratio (HR)=0.62; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.43–0.91; P=0.013). Low (<14 nM) compared with high (>35 nM) endoxifen concentrations were associated with shorter DRFS (univariate P=0.03; multivariate HR=1.94; 95% CI, 1.04–4.14; P=0.064). Our data indicate that endoxifen formation in premenopausal women depends on CYP2D6 irrespective of ethnicity. Low endoxifen concentration/formation and decreased CYP2D6 activity predict shorter DRFS.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT• Tamoxifen is metabolized to active metabolites, 4‐hydroxytamoxifen and endoxifen, by multiple cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes including CYP2D6, CYP3A4/5, CYP2C9/19, CYP1A2 and CYP2B6.• The steady‐state plasma concentrations of tamoxifen and its metabolites can be affected by variations in the activity of these enzymes.• Although CYP2D6*4 and *10 have been shown to influence the plasma concentration of endoxifen in Caucasian and Korean patients respectively, there is still a paucity of data on CYP2D6 pharmacogenetics in other Orientals such as Chinese, Malays and Indians.WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS• Pharmacogenetic analyses of a comprehensive panel of CYP2D6 polymorphisms (*2, *2A, *3, *4, *5, *6, *7, *8, *9, *10, *12, *14, *17, *29, *41 and *xN) were performed in three distinct Asian ethnic groups and breast cancer patients with CYP2D6*5 and *10 found to be highly prevalent.• Both CYP2D6*5 and *10 were significantly associated with lower endoxifen and higher N‐desmethyltamoxifen concentrations as well as a lower rate of metabolic conversion of N‐desmethyltamoxifen to endoxifen.• Polymorphisms present in CYP3A5, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 were not found to be significantly associated with plasma concentrations of analytes suggesting that these enzymes may be playing minor roles in the metabolic pathway of tamoxifen compared with CYP2D6.AIM To investigate the impact of genetic polymorphisms in CYP2D6, CYP3A5, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 on the pharmacokinetics of tamoxifen and its metabolites in Asian breast cancer patients.METHODS A total of 165 Asian breast cancer patients receiving 20 mg tamoxifen daily and 228 healthy Asian subjects (Chinese, Malay and Indian; n= 76 each) were recruited. The steady‐state plasma concentrations of tamoxifen and its metabolites were quantified using high‐performance liquid chromatography. The CYP2D6 polymorphisms were genotyped using the INFINITI™ CYP450 2D6I assay, while the polymorphisms in CYP3A5, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 were determined via direct sequencing.RESULTS The polymorphisms, CYP2D6*5 and *10, were significantly associated with lower endoxifen and higher N‐desmethyltamoxifen (NDM) concentrations. Patients who were *1/*1 carriers exhibited 2.4‐ to 2.6‐fold higher endoxifen concentrations and 1.9‐ to 2.1‐fold lower NDM concentrations than either *10/*10 or *5/*10 carriers (P < 0.001). Similarly, the endoxifen concentrations were found to be 1.8‐ to 2.6‐times higher in *1/*5 or *1/*10 carriers compared with *10/*10 and *5/*10 carriers (P≤ 0.001). Similar relationships were observed between the CYP2D6 polymorphisms and metabolic ratios of tamoxifen and its metabolites. No significant associations were observed with regards to the polymorphisms in CYP3A5, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19.CONCLUSIONS The present study in Asian breast cancer patients showed that CYP2D6*5/*10 and *10/*10 genotypes are associated with significantly lower concentrations of the active metabolite of tamoxifen, endoxifen. Identifying such patients before the start of treatment may be useful in optimizing therapy with tamoxifen. The role of CYP3A5, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 seem to be minor.

The present exploratory study identified several SNPs in the genes encoding regulatory nuclear receptors which may account for the interpatient variability in docetaxel pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. These findings highlight the important role of regulatory nuclear receptors on the disposition of docetaxel.

AIMThe aim was to examine the influence of CYP2C19 variants and associated haplotypes on the disposition of tamoxifen and its metabolites, particularly norendoxifen (NorEND), in Asian patients with breast cancer. METHODSSixty-six CYP2C19 polymorphisms were identified in healthy Asians (n = 240), of which 14 were found to be tightly linked with CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*3 and CYP2C19*17. These 17 SNPs were further genotyped in Asian breast cancer patients receiving tamoxifen (n = 201). Steady-state concentrations of tamoxifen and its metabolites were quantified using liquid chromatographymass spectrometry. Non-parametric tests and regression methods were implemented to evaluate genotypic-phenotypic associations and haplotypic effects of the SNPs. CONCLUSIONThese data highlight the potential relevance of CYP2C19 pharmacogenetics in influencing NorEND concentrations in tamoxifentreated patients, which may influence treatment outcomes. WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT• Most studies have investigated the associations between CYP2D6 variants and tamoxifen pharmacokinetics, but the impact of CYP2C19 genetic variants on tamoxifen disposition has been less extensively studied.• Recent findings suggest that a tertiary metabolite of tamoxifen, 4-hydroxy-N,N-didesmethyltamoxifen or norendoxifen (NorEND), exhibits potent aromatase inhibitory activity and estrogen receptor antagonism.• To date, the influence of CYP2C19 polymorphisms and haplotypes on the pharmacokinetics of NorEND is not known. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS• Of the 66 CYP2C19 polymorphisms identified in healthy Asians, 14 were found to be tightly linked with CYP2C19*2, CYP2C19*3 and CYP2C19*17.• No significant associations were observed between these CYP2C19 functional polymorphisms and their linked SNPs with the steady-state concentrations of tamoxifen, N-desmethyltamoxifen (NDM), (Z)-4-hydroxytamoxifen and (Z)-endoxifen.• However, two other potentially important metabolites, N,N-didesmethyltamoxifen (NDDM) and NorEND were genetically associated. The CYP2C19 H2 haplotype, which included CYP2C19*2, was significantly correlated with lower plasma concentrations of NorEND, and metabolic ratios MR NorEND/NDDM (P < 0.0001) and MR NorEND/(Z)-END (P = 0.001), indicating significantly lower formation rates of NorEND.