Anticancer Drugs Pharmacogenomics in African Populations: A Scoping Review of Clinico-Molecular Data and Involvement in Personalized Medicine
8 affiliations
- 1Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Peleforo GON COULIBALY University, Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire
- 2Department of Molecular Biology, Pietro Annigoni Biomolecular Research Center (CERBA), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- 3Department of Biochemistry-Microbiology, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Molecular Genetics, Joseph KI-ZERBO University, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- 4Molecular Genetics Platform, Pasteur Institute, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
- 5Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, African Center for Shea Research and Applications (CRAK), Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Functional Genomics (BIOGEN-CRAK), Peleforo GON COULIBALY University, Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire
- 6Department of Biotechnology and Food Safety, Felix Houphouet Boigny University, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
- 7Department of Biomedical and Public Health, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- 8Department Biochemistry, Ecole Normale Superieure, Koudougou, Burkina Faso
Abstract
In recent decades, Africa has experienced an increase in cancer mortality rates. This challenge conducted to wide use of anticancer drugs but their efficacy and toxicity may vary depending on patient’s genetic characteristics. In this context, pharmacogenomics may play a crucial role in optimizing and personalizing these treatments in African populations, which have been very little studied so far in this field. The main objective of this scoping review is to identify clinical and molecular data concerning the influence of genetic variants on the efficacy and the toxicity of anticancer drugs in African populations. The scientific databases PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were used to search for articles published between January 2010 and December 2025. This review was conducted according to the Arksey and O’Malley framework in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR method (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews). Data on genes, variants, cancer type, drug, country, year of study publication, and clinical effects on patients were extracted. This information was used to highlight the effect of pharmacogenes on the response of anticancer drugs and their implication for personalized medicine. A total of 2397 articles were identified in the three databases. After eliminating duplicates and off-topic articles, 59 articles were selected. Among them, 30 were examined in full text, of which two were excluded due to the unavailability of the full text. Finally, 28 articles were selected for the qualitative analysis of this review. From these 28 articles, 58 variants spread over 41 genes were identified. The results revealed a geographical disparity in importance of the included research, with a strong one coming from North and Southern Africa. The ABCB1, CYP3A5, CYP2D6, SLC28A3, CYP2C9, CYP2B6, TPMT and MTHFR genes have been the most studied. They were significantly associated with the efficacy and toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs in most studies. The most frequently analyzed anticancer drugs for their drug-gene associations include imatinib, tamoxifen and doxorubicin. Breast cancer, chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia have been the most studied types of cancer. The available pharmacogenomic data for cancer drugs remain insufficient to allow a real application of personalized medicine in the treatment of cancer on the continent. This study provides an overview of the current state and gaps in pharmacogenomic research of anticancer drugs in Africa. It is particularly intended for pharmacologic clinicians, oncologists and health decision-makers involved in cancer management on the African continent.
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BibTeX
@article{adico2026anticancer,
title = {{Anticancer Drugs Pharmacogenomics in African Populations: A Scoping Review of Clinico-Molecular Data and Involvement in Personalized Medicine}},
author = {Marc Donald Wilfried Adico and Tata Gnire Safiatou Coulibaly and Dramane Dagnogo and Mousso Savadogo and Wentoin Alimata Marie Pierre Daramcoum and Saraka Didier Martial Yao and Dougba Noel Dago and Foungotin Hamidou Coulibaly and Abdou Azaque Zouré Snr and Bagora Bayala and Nafan Diarrassouba and Wendkuuni Florencia Djigma and Jacques Simporé},
journal = {Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.2147/pgpm.s629435},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2147/pgpm.s629435},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Anticancer Drugs Pharmacogenomics in African Populations: A Scoping Review of Clinico-Molecular Data and Involvement in Personalized Medicine
AU - Marc Donald Wilfried Adico
AU - Tata Gnire Safiatou Coulibaly
AU - Dramane Dagnogo
AU - Mousso Savadogo
AU - Wentoin Alimata Marie Pierre Daramcoum
AU - Saraka Didier Martial Yao
AU - Dougba Noel Dago
AU - Foungotin Hamidou Coulibaly
AU - Abdou Azaque Zouré Snr
AU - Bagora Bayala
AU - Nafan Diarrassouba
AU - Wendkuuni Florencia Djigma
AU - Jacques Simporé
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
JO - Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine
DO - 10.2147/pgpm.s629435
UR - https://doi.org/10.2147/pgpm.s629435
AB - In recent decades, Africa has experienced an increase in cancer mortality rates. This challenge conducted to wide use of anticancer drugs but their efficacy and toxicity may vary depending on patient’s genetic characteristics. In this context, pharmacogenomics may play a crucial role in optimizing and personalizing these treatments in African populations, which have been very little studied so far in this field. The main objective of this scoping review is to identify clinical and molecular data concerning the influence of genetic variants on the efficacy and the toxicity of anticancer drugs in African populations. The scientific databases PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were used to search for articles published between January 2010 and December 2025. This review was conducted according to the Arksey and O’Malley framework in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR method (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews). Data on genes, variants, cancer type, drug, country, year of study publication, and clinical effects on patients were extracted. This information was used to highlight the effect of pharmacogenes on the response of anticancer drugs and their implication for personalized medicine. A total of 2397 articles were identified in the three databases. After eliminating duplicates and off-topic articles, 59 articles were selected. Among them, 30 were examined in full text, of which two were excluded due to the unavailability of the full text. Finally, 28 articles were selected for the qualitative analysis of this review. From these 28 articles, 58 variants spread over 41 genes were identified. The results revealed a geographical disparity in importance of the included research, with a strong one coming from North and Southern Africa. The ABCB1, CYP3A5, CYP2D6, SLC28A3, CYP2C9, CYP2B6, TPMT and MTHFR genes have been the most studied. They were significantly associated with the efficacy and toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs in most studies. The most frequently analyzed anticancer drugs for their drug-gene associations include imatinib, tamoxifen and doxorubicin. Breast cancer, chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia have been the most studied types of cancer. The available pharmacogenomic data for cancer drugs remain insufficient to allow a real application of personalized medicine in the treatment of cancer on the continent. This study provides an overview of the current state and gaps in pharmacogenomic research of anticancer drugs in Africa. It is particularly intended for pharmacologic clinicians, oncologists and health decision-makers involved in cancer management on the African continent.
SN - 1178-7066
ER -