More patients are confused about genetic tests, says advocacy group
January 14, 2009 by Grace Ibay
Filed under Health
Genetic tests for common medical conditions and disorders have become more in demand in the past years. The popularity increased even more when celebrities and universities began publishing their genetic information online, and direct-to-consumer genetic companies sprouted like mushrooms. Soon, genetic tests could become a common diagnostic tool at the doctor’s office.
Getting access to our risk information is relevant to making informed decisions about our lifestyle. The hope is that if a person will understand his risk, say, for certain cardiovascular diseases, then he will take better care of himself to avoid getting the disease.
And that’s where …read more
Leukemia – risk of which patients could relapse, identified
(Photo courtesy www.leukemia101.com)
Researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center may have discovered a better way to distinguish acute leukemia patients who require aggressive treatment to prevent recurrence from those who need only standard therapy for cure.
About 13,300 new cases of AML and 8,200 deaths from the disease are expected this year in the United States.
In about half of cases, patients’ leukemia cells have chromosome changes that help doctors determine whether standard therapy will suffice to prevent recurrence, or whether the individual needs aggressive treatment such as a stem-cell transplant or an experimental therapy.
The remaining patients have leukemia cells …read more




