The fault …is not in our stars, but in ourselves

Thiopurines, including mercaptopurine, are a cornerstone of modern maintenance therapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and various other diseases. Thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) is a pivotal enzyme in the degradation of toxic thiopurine metabolites. Individuals heterozygous for inactivating TPMT variants (about 10% of the European and American population) require modest decreases in thiopurine dosing, whereas those with homozygous defects tolerate only about one-tenth the conventional dose.
Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: The Editors' Perspectives Source Type: research