PHENOMENA

This project focuses on improving pain management in oncology palliative care, where opioid therapy is often insufficient or causes adverse effects. The variability in opioid response among patients is not fully understood, but genetics is believed to play a key role. Previous pharmacogenetic studies identified gene variants linked to opioid response, yet results were inconsistent and lacked clinical applicability. Our team conducted the first genome-wide association study in cancer patients treated with opioids, highlighting the need for a broader “multi-omics” approach. Pharmacometabolomics, an emerging field studying metabolites and their influence on drug response, can complement pharmacogenomics to advance precision medicine. No metabolomic research has explored cancer patients receiving opioids. This project aims to integrate genomic and metabolomic data to discover biomarkers predicting opioid efficacy and toxicity, paving the way for personalized pain therapy in oncology.