Community Chat

[Yardlie]

@Annabellethecat66 ... Thank you for your lovely response...and for reading the entire thread! All this DNA and genetic testing is really in the early stages as far as science goes, so I understand some people being skeptical...but they might learn some things (like the reliability and validity of these tests) from the experiences of those of us who are doing it.

[JustJazzmom]

All the research has a long term benefit over time. As scientists/researchers look at the data, certain things can come into play -- people with such and such genes on such and such chromosomes -- someday scientists/researchers can figure out a way for certain genes not to be expressed or blocked which in some cases might prevent certain diseases from occurring in people with those gene/chromosome combinations.

[itiswhatitis]

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@JustJazzmom wrote:

All the research has a long term benefit over time. As scientists/researchers look at the data, certain things can come into play -- people with such and such genes on such and such chromosomes -- someday scientists/researchers can figure out a way for certain genes not to be expressed or blocked which in some cases might prevent certain diseases from occurring in people with those gene/chromosome combinations.

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Somewhere here in another thread, there is a discussion about how our young folk are leaving college so dumb.  Shame isn't it?  It will be the young folk who will continue to perfect this science.  It will be young folk who find a cure for cancer and treatments to prolong life for those suffering from many debilitating diseases.

I look forward to the gains we make in this and other fields of science!

[Moonchilde]

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@JustJazzmom wrote:

All the research has a long term benefit over time. As scientists/researchers look at the data, certain things can come into play -- people with such and such genes on such and such chromosomes -- someday scientists/researchers can figure out a way for certain genes not to be expressed or blocked which in some cases might prevent certain diseases from occurring in people with those gene/chromosome combinations.

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@JustJazzmom, much of today's cancer treatment has headed in the direction of gene-specific treatment, especially breast cancer. It's routine to have genetic testing right after diagnosis, and threatment - specifically which chemo will be most effective and whether radiation will help or not - is based largely if not almost totally on this now. And insurance often/usually covers the testing.

As I understand it, science is actively working on reversing and/or turning off genes, i.e. that's an early WIP at this point.

Keeping up with this and how it affects patient treatment was, I think, the most interesting part of my job. Several months ago PBS ran a 3-part series on the history of cancer treatment that was excellent. One of the doctors I dealt with was featured in it.

[Moonchilde]

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@Brinklii wrote:

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@Moonchilde wrote:

@CLEM, that is the reason I have taken the tests. Just really wanted to know if the family info and stories were true. 90% they were; my ancestry has closely matched what I was told and what I knew from my own research on Ancestry in two of three tests, and two of the three also agreed with each other. I'm waiting for my third (company) results any time now and not expecting any surprises - but to me, that's good. It just further verifies the accuracy.

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@Moonchide ...Please do post your findings about how the various companies test results match up once you get your results. I'm sure many of us would be interested.

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I'm not sure what you're asking, @Yardlie. I've only tested with an interest in genealogy and ethnicity, never for medical information, and the "medical information" offered by 23andme was pretty much a joke, I felt. The other two don't even offer any such info.

None of it is exact because they all use their own databases. It wouldn't be that company says you're 75% French and company B would "match" by saying you're 72-75% French as well. The way they all provide results differs slightly.

In my case, so far 2 of 3 have said I'm 75%+ British Isles/Irish (close to 85% actually), about 5% French and/or German, 5% Scandinavian, and 1% Iberian, plus miscellaneous Undetermined, which I'm sure shows up for everyone. Based on the first two companies showing very similar results I'm not expecting anything wild & crazy from FTDNA - which keeps pushing my testing date back :-(

From family stories and research on Ancestry, I knew that the majority of both sides of my family came from the British Isles. I knew that a great or great-great grandfather had emigrated from an area that might have been considered either French or German depending on the time frame. I knew that a great-grandmother was Swedish. The 1% Iberian, would be either Spanish or Portugese, could be a fragment of a single distant ancestor.

The DNA services that people commonly use don't get any more detailed than this, unless you pay hundreds of dollars more and also test a male relative. This is as detailed as they get, ethnicity-wise.

[Yardlie]

@Moonchilde ... I only meant to post how closely the various companies matched up regarding your ethnicity...if you're comfortable posting it. Mine turned out to be 99.9% European (mainly Irish/British). One of my sisters did Ancestry's cheap test (not the more comprehensive one). They told her she was 95% European and 5% Subsaharan African. Now, she is going back for the more extensive test by Ancestry. Yes, I know there will be variation because they have different databases. The ethnicity part is mainly just fun.

[JustJazzmom]

@Moonchilde, I saw that 3 part series on PBS; I think it was called The Emperor of All Maladies. 

[Moonchilde]

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@JustJazzmom wrote:

@Moonchilde, I saw that 3 part series on PBS; I think it was called The Emperor of All Maladies. 

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Yes, @JustJazzmom, that was the one. Everyone in our department watched it, including the docs - and everyone learned something, esp about early treatment vs. how much science has learned since.

[AnotherView2]

I went through a potential BC scare a few years ago where I was getting mammograms  frequently, ultrasounded,etc. It turned into nothing. Now I'm back on a once a year schedule. I went through the same thing with a few irregular pap smears that also were nothing. That was 25 years ago.

I remember living in constant fear of the future, the unknown,etc. During both of those episodes.

I am now a different person, trying to live totally in the present moment, living without fear and not trying to constantly figure out what the future holds before it gets here.

I'm way less anxious these days about a myriad of things I tried to control in the past and I have say it feels good and I wish I had done it sooner. So, DNA testing isn't on my radar at all. 

I also figure having less stress and anxiety about my health will keep me healthy and not develop any potential cancer my DNA may have dealt me.

[Yardlie]

@AnotherView2  ... Sorry you had to go through all those spooky things, but going through things like that does help us to put everything into perspective.

I've never been a worrier, so I'm concerned about my results, but not freaking out about it. The first day, it rather shook me...but then I just figured...time to see the doctor and find out for real.

Oddly, one of the results I got from Promethease said that I was probably a worrier. All they can do is tell you what your chances are on a characteristic...can't tell you for certain. They were accurate on most of my results. The worrying one was wrong about me, as I've never been a worrier. It also said that I was probably not freckled...I'm peppered with freckles! Here's hoping that the BRCA2 gene thing is inaccurate also.