New DNA Tests Aimed at Reducing Colon Cancer

[Elmore Furth]

Here is a focused DNA test that could eliminate colonoscopies for low risk adults over 50.

Two new DNA-based tests, one of them described at a meeting in Philadelphia on Thursday, hold the promise of detecting early — and sharply reducing — colon cancer, a disease that afflicts 150,000 people a year in the United States and costs an estimated $14 billion to treat.

Unlike colonoscopy, in which a seeing tube is threaded up the colon, the DNA tests are noninvasive, so more people would take them. Both tests could be brought to market within two years.

One of the tests, developed by Exact Sciences of Madison, Wis., looks in stool samples for the presence of four altered genes that are diagnostic of colon cancer. The test could catch cancerous and precancerous tumors at an early stage, when they are curable, and allow doctors to remove them promptly.

The other test looks in blood for changes in a single gene, called Septin 9, which is not in the Exact Sciences’ panel of four genes. The test has been developed by Epigenomics AG in Germany.

New DNA Tests Aimed at Reducing Colon Cancer

[Bitwit1234]

1. 25 years ago I had a complete hysterectomy because I had

cancerous tumors attached to those organs. Since then I had a colonoscopy and had two polyps removed and then about ever 2 years and only about 3 more in all these years..The polyps were not cancerous or precancerous. But the funny thing is my 53 year old son had to take his first test, 8 polyps were removed and they WERE pre-cancerous. Since the doctor said there are two kinds of polyps I wonder why when I had cancer back then and got breast cancer last year all my test only turned up about four over 25 years, non-cancerous kind but my son had 8 and they were pre-cancerous. What I am getting at is we have the same genes. I read somewhere that the mother passes most of the disease genes to the children. Although they can come from both parents, most come thru the mother's side of the family.

[Nite Owl]

2. I never heard of that

that the disease genes are passed from the mother's side. I have several autoimmmune diseases and my sons do too. It was not from my husband side. Could be some truth to that.

You have been through so much, be well!