Study of 12 Types of Cancer Sheds Light on How Disease Is Inherited
12th January 2016
The investigation is the first time that scientists have been able to pinpoint on a large scale how different genes are linked to developing the disease, as well as the mutations involved.
Researchers also found important information on how mutations associated with breast cancer are also linked to other forms of the disease.
January 12th, 2016 at 10:03
Two of my sisters and I have experienced (and thus far survived) cancer. We went through family history and gene testing to see if there were things that we could do to inform the next generation. As it turned out, we didn’t have any of the known gene problems that lead to family histories of cancers. The whole thing is very complex – not only can you have a genetic disposition towards certain cancers, you can also have genetic defects that limit your body’s ability to kill off mutations. We also found that there was an interesting finding by omission. None of our family members died of lung cancer, despite heavy cigarette smoking, exposure to asbestos, and other environmental factors that one would expect to cause cancer.
Ultimately, the only “cure” for cancer is by modifying DNA. I met a lady that has agressive breast cancer and is a cancer researcher. Because of her position, she was treated with gene splicing that uses her immune system to kill off the bad cells. According to her, it was working well. With any luck, a decade or two from now people will look back at chemotherapy in the same way we look at blood letting and leeches.