GENETIC TESTING
GENETIC TESTING
(technical informations)
(technical informations)
What is Genetic Testing?
Genetic tests look for specific inherited changes (mutations) in a person's chromosomes, genes or proteins. Genetic mutations can be harmful, beneficial, neutral (without effect) or uncertain for health. Harmful mutations can increase a person's chance or risk of developing a disease like cancer. In general, hereditary mutations are responsible for about 5 to 10% of all cancers.
How is genetic testing done?
Genetic tests are usually ordered by a doctor.
The test is done on a small sample of body fluid or tissue, usually blood, but sometimes saliva, internal cheek cells, skin or amniotic fluid.
The sample is sent to a laboratory specialized in genetic testing. The results are returned to the doctor who ordered the test. In some cases, the laboratory may send the results directly to the patient. The result may take a few weeks to be released.
Genetic counseling is recommended before and after testing to make sure that patients have accurate information about the meaning of a specific genetic test for their case.
( my opinion )
Who should do the genetic testing?
if in my family there was a type of hereditary cancer, which is curable, it would be interesting to know before the cancer manifested itself. For example, for a mother who has small children, it would be wonderful to be able to take precautions; of her children until a certain age. In this case, it would be extremely important to know the results of these exams.
Now if in another family there is another type of disease that had no cure and still has a very short survival, I honestly do not agree that people in this family should do this exam. The patient in this case would suffer twice, when he learns of the test result and then when the disease manifests. I would prefer not to know, because it would not do anything.
Let's look at the graph below, is this according to my opinion?
In this case I am part of this 39% who would not like to be tested if my probable disease does not have treatment.
There are many reports of people who, after discovering that they have a serious disease, they end up dying of depreciation, even before the disease gets worse.
So, I really believe that each case is a unique
case, there is no single answer to this question.
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