Genetic Testing Can Give Warning of Cancer Development

     In 2012, Rick Sample received a diagnosis of Colon Cancer. He was the fifth person in his family to be diagnosed withe the disease. Since this ran in his family, he became a prime candidate for genetic testing for an inherited factor known as Lynch Syndrome. Lynch Syndrome raises the risk of developing into colon cancer to 80% and 60% for women to develop uterine cancer. The test involves examining a tissue sample from blood or spit. Both Rick and his brother tested positive for the syndrome. Genetic testing is only recommended for those with three or more individuals diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome in their family, two or more generations affected, or one person who is diagnosed before the age of 50. Genes that could develop into cancer via mutation include MLH, PMS2, and EPCAM. Most Lynch cancers are adult-onset, and thus testing on children is not common. But effective screening tests can be started, at around the mid-twenties. If someone is known to have Lynch Syndrome, treatment includes colonoscopies. The goal is to begin screening methods about ten years before the age a family member was diagnosed.
     This research is very important in the fight against cancer. It is interesting to see how other diseases can have such a high possibility of developing into cancer. Although it isn't completely possible to detect cancer early, it is still very good that a disease that could very possibly lead to it can be detected. Lynch syndrome affects 1 in every 400 peoples. Early detection and action could also save someone in committing more drastic things, such as complete removal of the colon for Rick.

Link1: http://www.dailypress.com/health/dp-nws-genetics-colon-20150412-story.html#page=1

Link2: http://www.clickorlando.com/news/genetic-testing-options-can-show-if-youre-atrisk-for-cancer/32298834

Aspirin for cancer prevention

For most, a common knowledge is that the excessive use of aspirin could be detrimental. However, as an article in the New York Times explains, the daily intake of this drug could be a prevention of cancer.

Many people such as Vanessa Brannon, a 31-year-old mother from Seattle, have inherited conditions of colon cancer and Lynch Syndrome. For patients such as Vanessa it was found in a British study that when taking aspirin for two years their risk of colon cancer was cut in half! Although this finding was astonishing, doctors are still not sure how much aspirin the patients, or anyone else, should be taking. Many believe that a small dosage daily may work but trials that had patients take aspirin every other day had no effect on cancer risks at all.

In summary aspirin has been found to be a potential in reducing the risk of many types of cancer, when taken daily, including metastatic cancer by 36 percent, prostate and colon cancers by 46 percent, and prevention of breast, uterine, ovarian and pancreatic cancers and lung cancers in smokers.

Of course critics say the analyses may not be reliable, but it is not dismissed. However, the widespread use of aspirin worries public health experts because of the increase of gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcers and hemorrhagic strokes that can be fatal. It comes down to weighing the risk of what the drug will prevent to what the drug will cause.