Primer on Genetic and Genomic testing
Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 3:24 pm
NHMike wrote:Primer on genetic/genomic cancer testing. I received this link from Dana Farber this morning:
http://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2017/12/dna-sequencing-cancer-therapy/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=%3E%3E%20READ%20MORE&utm_campaign=spotlight
Cancer therapy is increasingly aimed at the fundamental abnormalities within cancer cells – the genes and proteins that normally keep cell division under control, but are damaged or faulty in tumor cells. To understand which genes are abnormal, where they’re located within the genome, and how they affect cell growth, doctors and scientists use a procedure called DNA sequencing.
BTW, the Genomic Testing done is more accurately called "whole exome sequencing" but I think that most people will understand what you mean from "Genomic Testing".
One other benefit to doing testing is that researchers have more data to do research projects on various kinds of cancer in terms of incidence and demographics.
Thanks for posting the above link. I think it is becoming more and more important for us, as patients, to know the difference between genetic testing and genomic testing.
Is there a difference beween genomic and genetic testing?
https://www.cancercenter.com/community/questions-and-answers/precision-medicine/genomic-genetic-difference/
Genetic testing identifies abnormalities or predispositions we have been born with, and how these might affect our health.
Genomic testing refers to the examination of unique abnormalities or mutations that occur in the cancer. Some or all of these mutations may be driving the cancer to grow. In theory, targeting these would be a way to control the cancer. With genomic testing, we can reveal the genomic makeup of abnormalities within the cancer tissue. In other words, for some patients, more targeted precision may now be possible by identifying the genetic profile of a tumor and designing treatment options specifically for that person’s cancer.
Ref: https://wtop.com/cancer-qa/2015/01/difference-genetic-testing-vs-genomic-testing/
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