MyVisionTest News Archive
Sep 18, 2008
My DNA Test: Too Much Information?
If you could find out now whether you're likely to have a deadly disease in the future... would you want to know? That's the debate behind DNA testing.
Recently, when I agreed to have my own DNA tested, I thought at first, "this is no big deal. I’ll probably not go to find out I'm at risk for some incurable illness".
I felt that way even after I took my DNA sample and sent it to the lab for processing. In fact, I was afraid I wasn't going to be a good subject for the story, since I'm reasonably healthy and there's no history of serious diseases in my immediate family.
Then I got an e-mail stating that my results were ready and I could view them online. As I got set to enter my password, I have to admit the reality of what I was about to find out really struck me. What if I was at risk for something serious, say a form of cancer, and there was nothing I could do about it?
I went to the first category, "Aortic Aneurysm"...my risk was exactly normal...I relaxed and thought the rest of the test will go this way. I was wrong. I clicked on the very next category, "Age Related Macular Degeneration" and saw that my risk level was 20%, more than TWICE the normal rate. It couldn't have been a more chilling result for me. I've worn glasses since the second grade and have always been worried about my sight. It's a disease you can't prevent and one that has no cure, and the thought that I might be more at risk for it than I should be is not the easiest thing to deal with.
Did I feel better that the results for the rest of the categories were normal? Yes, I was relieved my risk for Alzheimer’s was even lower than normal, also for colorectal cancer and even heart attack.
But my mind kept focusing on the Macular Degeneration risk. I know the DNA test result doesn't adjust for family history which is a major factor, but it's still something I'm very conscious of right now. This is one of the major arguments against this type of self-testing: that you over-interpret the results and that different results don't translate directly into your actual risk of getting a serious illness.
Should you take the test? It does cost $985 although there are others that are cheaper (and some that are more expensive). Ultimately the decision comes down to whether you believe any information that can make you a more informed patient is beneficial or whether you think reading your own test results without the proper perspective just leads to needless worry. As for me, I'm glad I took the test...but I don't think I'll be doing it again soon!
Read more...
WNBC
Tags: AMD, genetics
If you could find out now whether you're likely to have a deadly disease in the future... would you want to know? That's the debate behind DNA testing.Recently, when I agreed to have my own DNA tested, I thought at first, "this is no big deal. I’ll probably not go to find out I'm at risk for some incurable illness".
Then I got an e-mail stating that my results were ready and I could view them online. As I got set to enter my password, I have to admit the reality of what I was about to find out really struck me. What if I was at risk for something serious, say a form of cancer, and there was nothing I could do about it?
I went to the first category, "Aortic Aneurysm"...my risk was exactly normal...I relaxed and thought the rest of the test will go this way. I was wrong. I clicked on the very next category, "Age Related Macular Degeneration" and saw that my risk level was 20%, more than TWICE the normal rate. It couldn't have been a more chilling result for me. I've worn glasses since the second grade and have always been worried about my sight. It's a disease you can't prevent and one that has no cure, and the thought that I might be more at risk for it than I should be is not the easiest thing to deal with.
Did I feel better that the results for the rest of the categories were normal? Yes, I was relieved my risk for Alzheimer’s was even lower than normal, also for colorectal cancer and even heart attack.
But my mind kept focusing on the Macular Degeneration risk. I know the DNA test result doesn't adjust for family history which is a major factor, but it's still something I'm very conscious of right now. This is one of the major arguments against this type of self-testing: that you over-interpret the results and that different results don't translate directly into your actual risk of getting a serious illness.
Should you take the test? It does cost $985 although there are others that are cheaper (and some that are more expensive). Ultimately the decision comes down to whether you believe any information that can make you a more informed patient is beneficial or whether you think reading your own test results without the proper perspective just leads to needless worry. As for me, I'm glad I took the test...but I don't think I'll be doing it again soon!
Read more...
WNBC
