Reasons for Genetic Predisposition DNA Testing
There are a number of diseases that are passed on to us through our DNA. Things like diabetes, and breast cancer, seem to plague some families and these illnesses are often passed from one generation to the next with people accepting that they will probably have them because their grandparents had them, and their parents had them, they believe that it is inevitable that they will have the disease as well.
Whenever you go to see a doctor they hand you a questionnaire to fill out which includes all the different illnesses that can be inherited, and check which family members had which diseases. This information will assist the doctor to check for any signs of the disease developing within you. They can also help us to prevent some of the diseases from occurring, or at the very least help us to delay the onset and progress of disease.
There are some people who do not know their family’s medical history for example people who have been adopted and never found their birth parents may not know that the majority of their family has diabetes. They are unable to fill out the questionnaire accurately and are sometimes caught off guard when such a disease rears its ugly head. For these people genetic predisposition DNA testing will show the doctors what could develop if precautions are not taken. They can determine if the person needs to be introduced to specialized diets or exercise programs. It may reveal if they need to start medical testing for certain diseases earlier than would normally be recommended for the average person.
If breast cancer is prevalent in a family then the female members of that family are advised to have mammograms and early detection screening done long before the age that other women are recommended to have them. Genetic predisposition DNA testing can help the woman’s doctor to recognize the potential for the development of this disease, suggest early testing earlier and keep a closer eye on her than he otherwise would have. There are even medications that some women can take if the DNA testing suggests that predisposition to cancer is a real possibility in the future. This medicine can be given to a woman before the cancerous cells develop in her breast tissue and may prevent the disease altogether. This type of DNA test can potentially save lives and doctor should always be made aware of any test results you receive.
