Gene Gems Editorial - July 2007
Welcome to the first issue of Gene Gems, our quarterly roundup of developments in genetics. In this issue we concentrate on cancer genetics. Not a week seems to go by without news of another ‘cancer gene’ breakthrough, but what does it all mean for people living with the disease, and those who may be at increased risk because of their family history? We aim to provide you with the facts behind the headlines, as well as reporting important findings and policy decisions that may not have made the papers.
In this issue, our main story is the news that two UK couples are hoping to use embryo testing to avoid passing on hereditary breast cancer to their children. If the procedure is approved, they will undergo a form of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment, in which their embryos will be tested for the BRCA1 gene mutation responsible for breast cancer in their relatives.
The story sparked controversy, as some people believe that choosing embryos free from the risk of serious disease is an unwelcome step towards ‘designer babies’ – particularly as not all women who inherit the mutation will develop breast cancer. However, others feel that such decisions should be left to affected families, since they have first-hand experience of the devastating impact such conditions can have.
The BRCA1 gene, along with BRCA2, another gene involved in hereditary breast cancer, were both discovered in the 1990s. Since then, scientists have been working hard to identify other factors that affect a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. Read on for news of OncoVue™, a simple mouthwash test for assessing breast cancer risk in women without a family history of the disease, as well as other exciting new developments in cancer genetics research.
We hope that you find these and the other stories in Gene Gems interesting.