The St. Jude Progress blog invited me to write a summary post about the 2019 Biomedical Research Symposium on “Germline Predisposition to Cancer: From Gene Discovery to Clinical Implementation.” My goal was to help a lay audience understand what’s new in this field and why it’s important to have yearly symposia.
We’re in an era where genetic sequencing is more accessible than ever. Some people do it for fun. They learn more about their history and the parts of their DNA that make them who they are.
Cancer patients do it because they have to. That information can tell their doctors what’s causing or fueling the cancer and give them clues for treatment. Doctors who read this roadmap of genetic data correctly can more accurately make recommendations about a patient’s care.
Unfortunately, this mass of data from genetic sequencing is not black and white. Many people have mutations in their DNA that don’t fuel cancer. There are tons of false mutations and dead ends, which make it difficult for scientists to decipher which cause cancer and which do not….
Continue reading at St. Jude Progress Blog
Jill Bouchard 