Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Drug treatments are essential for the survival of cancer patients. Unfortunately, medications needed for treatment can also cause permanent disabling side effects, severely impacting on the quality of life of patients already suffering the devastating consequences of cancer. Although platinum-based drugs, such as cisplatin, are highly effective and are the most frequently used class of cancer medications, they are also accompanied by severe side effects. In fact, 40-60% of children and 10-25% of adults treated with cisplatin lose some ability to hear, while more than 70% of children and 30% of adults experience kidney injury when taking this drug. If clinicians were able to predict which patients are most likely to experience these side effects before prescribing cisplatin, they could take measures to avoid their occurrence. Pharmacogenomics, the study of how genetic differences influence why we respond differently to medications, aims to provide clinicians with this predictive information. My research aims to investigate both pediatric and adult patients receiving cisplatin to identify the genetic and clinical variables that are associated with high risk of kidney failure and hearing loss. I will use these results to guide the development of predictive tests and novel treatment strategies. The culmination of this work will allow for the implementation of personalized treatment strategies, which provide maximum benefit and minimal harm to cancer patients.