Spring Break
Genome testing gets personal for some scientists
By: Zachary Tracer
Issue date: 10/15/08 Section: News
Last update: 10/15/08 at 6:26 AM EST
Last update: 10/15/08 at 6:26 AM EST
Others, such as Sullivan and Willard, have paid closer attention to their test results. Because they already lead healthy lives, however, neither have made changes to their lifestyles as a result of the testing, they said.
Willard, though not a participant in the study, said he has had his genome analyzed several times, revealing that he is at a greater risk of developing cancer. Still, he knew of this risk before he ever submitted blood or spit to a laboratory-he was diagnosed with colon cancer and also has a family history of the disease.
"Getting colon cancer changed my lifestyle," he said. "My genome testing hasn't changed my lifestyle... but I'm already in this behavioral mindset of thinking about cancer risk and trying to modify behavior to reduce that risk in a very general way."
Family history of a disease can be just as indicative of one's chance of getting the disease as genomic testing, Willard said. But he added that for some people, the results of a genetic test might spur them to take care of their health in a way that family history does not.
"As people think about what DNA means and about what the genome means, there really is a sense that this is much more directive and impactful than the generic 'Uncle Joe had heart disease,'" he said.
But some said the first hurdle for people without Willard's background in genetics is often simply understanding what DNA and other genetics terms mean.
"When you just throw out the term polymorphism or SNP, you've lost the person already," said Susanne Haga, an assistant research professor in the IGSP and one of the investigators of the study. "I mean, who in the world knows those things?"
Genomic assessments might also reveal risks for highly preventable yet life-threatening conditions that one might not have known about otherwise, said Rachel Cohen, communications manager of 23andMe, a company that provides commercial genomic analyses to customers.
The 23andMe diagnostic is similar to the one used in the Personal Variome Project, but 23andMe looks at 90 diseases and conditions, compared to 27 in the Duke project. The 23andMe assessment is available through the company's Web site for $399.
Willard, though not a participant in the study, said he has had his genome analyzed several times, revealing that he is at a greater risk of developing cancer. Still, he knew of this risk before he ever submitted blood or spit to a laboratory-he was diagnosed with colon cancer and also has a family history of the disease.
"Getting colon cancer changed my lifestyle," he said. "My genome testing hasn't changed my lifestyle... but I'm already in this behavioral mindset of thinking about cancer risk and trying to modify behavior to reduce that risk in a very general way."
Family history of a disease can be just as indicative of one's chance of getting the disease as genomic testing, Willard said. But he added that for some people, the results of a genetic test might spur them to take care of their health in a way that family history does not.
"As people think about what DNA means and about what the genome means, there really is a sense that this is much more directive and impactful than the generic 'Uncle Joe had heart disease,'" he said.
But some said the first hurdle for people without Willard's background in genetics is often simply understanding what DNA and other genetics terms mean.
"When you just throw out the term polymorphism or SNP, you've lost the person already," said Susanne Haga, an assistant research professor in the IGSP and one of the investigators of the study. "I mean, who in the world knows those things?"
Genomic assessments might also reveal risks for highly preventable yet life-threatening conditions that one might not have known about otherwise, said Rachel Cohen, communications manager of 23andMe, a company that provides commercial genomic analyses to customers.
The 23andMe diagnostic is similar to the one used in the Personal Variome Project, but 23andMe looks at 90 diseases and conditions, compared to 27 in the Duke project. The 23andMe assessment is available through the company's Web site for $399.
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colon cleanse
posted 3/14/09 @ 1:56 AM EST
Hopefully a cure will be found soon.
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