topic Re: DNA tests? in Wellness

DNA tests?

Mom2Dogs — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 21:07:13 GMT

I have a young (35ish female) family member with a lot of health issues. I was wondering if anyone has used (or if the test exists) like the DNA test that you can send in and find relatives?

This would obviously be something that would not test for related family but for underlying health issues...just curious from anyone that has used this type of test or has opinions on them. thank you

Re: DNA tests?

ALRATIBA — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 21:33:19 GMT

@Mom2Dogs

I've done DNA testing, but not for health markers.

Check - and/or google - out "23andme.com"

Re: DNA tests?

ALRATIBA — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 21:43:08 GMT

@Mom2Dogs

Is your female relative on your mother's or father's side of the famly, and is your common female ancestry the same.

One of my cousins (daughter of my mother's brother) has issues that are traced through her mother's line.

Re: DNA tests?

Mom2Dogs — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 22:12:51 GMT

@ALRATIBA She is family on my mothers side. She was diagnosed with breast cancer as a young monther, has Crohns as well as some female problems. NO one else in the family has health issues. It's just very odd and I feel horible for her.

Re: DNA tests?

gnomie1 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:11:54 GMT

Forget about consumer DNA tests - to get useful information your niece should ask her oncologist to refer her for genetic testing. I do not mean to be rude, but is your niece Jewish and if so, has she been tested for the BRCA gene defect? While the BRCA gene defects affects all, it is most prominent in the Ashkenazi Jewish population and results in a marked increase in breast and ovarian cancer. Also, Crohn's is more common in Jewish populations.

Genetic counseling and testing can also affect treatment options - individualized medicine based on one's DNA is no longer science fiction - I know from personal experience.

Good luck to your niece - you did not say where you are located but if she has not already done so, she may want to consider looking into receiving care at a medical center with a primary affiliation with a medical school.

Re: DNA tests?

Laura14 — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:28:07 GMT

@Mom2Dogs I have done 23andMe. Be aware that depending on someone's privacy settings, you may or may not be able to speak to them and/or share information. You can send an invitation to your DNA relatives which is shared ancestry only but they have the option not to respond to you. Medical information is not shown at all on that site unless someone specifically responds to your invite and wants to share with you.

Re: DNA tests?

Mom2Dogs — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:43:38 GMT

@gnomie1 ...I typed a reply and it disappeared!

Not offended...We are not jewish but she did have the test for BRCA test when she had cancer years ago.

She gets the results of her biopsy hopefully this week and when she shares the results I will mention about a teaching hospital...I'd have to check to see how close we are to one.

I don't understand how the genetic testing works..can her doctor order it? Does the test show what diseases/illnesss she could develop? I have no experience in this field, thanks for any input.

It is just odd all the health issues she has and the rest of the family is healthy.

Re: DNA tests?

Kachina624 — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 01:09:01 GMT

@Mom2Dogs The question is, would you really want to know if there was the possibility you had some potentially fatal disease that might not appear for 20 or 30 years? Dreading it could make your life miserable, and it possibly might never materialize

Re: DNA tests?

Mom2Dogs — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 01:19:28 GMT

@Kachina624 The test is not for me...

@gnomie1 suggested the testing when I posed the question about DNA tests for my niece that has had more than her share of health issues.

It would be her decision to make.

Re: DNA tests?

gnomie1 — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 02:42:32 GMT

@Mom2Dogs wrote:
@gnomie1 ...I typed a reply and it disappeared!

I don't understand how the genetic testing works..can her doctor order it? Does the test show what diseases/illnesss she could develop? I have no experience in this field, thanks for any input.

I do not feel comfortable continuing this conversation on a public board but would like to answer some of your questions - if you like, please email me at R J B 1 9 2 1 at aol.dot.com - I have a couple of crazy days coming up but will answer

Re: DNA tests?

Mindy D — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 04:12:17 GMT

@Mom2Dogs 23 & Me lists which genetic diseases and health issues it can screen for. Go to their website.

Re: DNA tests?

Mindy D — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 04:13:52 GMT

@ALRATIBA @That is called mitochondrial DNA.

Re: DNA tests?

Mindy D — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 03:06:27 GMT

@Mom2Dogs

@Mom2Dogs wrote:
@ALRATIBA She is family on my mothers side. She was diagnosed with breast cancer as a young monther, has Crohns as well as some female problems. NO one else in the family has health issues. It's just very odd and I feel horible for her.

@Mom2Dogs @@The 23 & Me will test for the most prevalent breast cancer genes, BRCA 1 and BRCA11. There are a couple of breast cancer genes it does not test for.

Certain genes on two chromosomes are associated with increased risk of Crohns but this is still being studied. 23 & Me is currently researching this and might ask the young lady if her DNA can be used for this Crohns research. She might be told if she possesses the genes in question if she partipates but I'm not sure. Other than the study, 23 & Me does not have a test specifically for Crohns.

The young lady's oncologist can order the complete test for genetic conditions associated with her cancer. This could be covered by insurance. It's important that she have this test.

Re: DNA tests?

BirkiLady — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 04:53:34 GMT

My family gave 23 & Me as Christmas gifts a couple of years ago. Of course we are related and those of us completing the tests, turned up as DNA positive.

However, all females received a LOT of men seeking us out for companionship. It was more like a dating site. Too creepy for us. We all canceled and had 23 & Me deleted our information forever. None of us felt safe or trusted that organization. The rest of our family were happy they had not responded to the DNA.

Re: DNA tests?

Mom2Dogs — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 13:10:01 GMT

Thank you @Mindy D

Re: DNA tests?

CelticCrafter — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 13:27:41 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
@Mom2Dogs The question is, would you really want to know if there was the possibility you had some potentially fatal disease that might not appear for 20 or 30 years? Dreading it could make your life miserable, and it possibly might never materialize

@Kachina624 that's why I will never do one of those DNA tests. I know what my siblings and parents died from and don't need anymore information than that.

Re: DNA tests?

Laura14 — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:53:39 GMT

@Mom2Dogs Just another thought. When my mother had her endometrial cancer, they did a genetic background on her but they did not go past her mother and aunts because they did not consider anyone more distant than that to be statistically relevant. I'm sure her own doctor will have their own opinion but it surprised me that they kept it that close and didn't reach back further or wider in her gene pool.

Re: DNA tests?

ALRATIBA — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 16:03:20 GMT

@Mindy D

Thanks ....

I know - we had our first DNA testing done (genealogical reasons) in 2006. (I hesitated to use "technical" jargon with somone who was unfamiliar with DNA tests.)

I'm a member of our local genealogical society and we had a DNA "seminar" and testing back in 2006. Very interesting - both the folks from FamilyTreeDNA and the author of a book on genetic genealogy spoke.\

Fascinating stuff!.

---------------------------------

@Mindy D wrote:
@ALRATIBA @That is called mitochondrial DNA.

Re: DNA tests?

Mindy D — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 02:10:22 GMT

@Mom2Dogs @A doctor would order the testing for all the BRCA genes. There are also other genes associated with these cancers. It is usually an oncolgist that orders it, but it can be a gynecologist as well. Sometimes a primary care doctor does this. You do not need to be Jewish to have the genes. Northern Europeans also have these genes. cancer . org is a good site for more on this. Another site for information is the American Association of Clinical Oncologists,

Re: DNA tests?

Mom2Dogs — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 16:25:16 GMT

@gnomie1 For some reason the info you gave me will not deliver to you.