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rhondalea · 02-12-2013, 07:12 AM

Hi Joan,

I'm sorry this is so late. I started a post, but it was gobbledy-gook, so I trashed it.

That top onc is kinda right for now, but he's wrong for the future. At the moment, genetic/epigentic medicine is in its infancy. See for a quick rundown on the numbers we're dealing with:

http://geneticgenie.org/blog/2013/01...of-your-genes/

Up above, you have a list of "gene panels." They're looking at specific snps on those panels, but what about the snps they overlook? And what about the combinations (what SNPedia calls "genosets") they haven't considered?

The day is coming that an individual will be able to have her genome sequenced and know exactly what went wrong and maybe even how to fix it. For now, medicine is hampered by a lack of data. Cheap ($1000) genome sequencing will help fix that, and it's in the pipeline.

The bottom line (in my opinion) is that for the moment, these are the tests we have, and they do give us some useful information, so there's no reason not to use them. Your top onc disagrees. But he's fails to consider that the worst thing that happens by using these tests is that the research will advance for the benefit of those who come later.

02-12-2013, 07:12 AM	#3
rhondalea Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Somerset, NJ Posts: 487	Re: Tumor Profiling Lab Tests Hi Joan, I'm sorry this is so late. I started a post, but it was gobbledy-gook, so I trashed it. That top onc is kinda right for now, but he's wrong for the future. At the moment, genetic/epigentic medicine is in its infancy. See for a quick rundown on the numbers we're dealing with: http://geneticgenie.org/blog/2013/01...of-your-genes/ Up above, you have a list of "gene panels." They're looking at specific snps on those panels, but what about the snps they overlook? And what about the combinations (what SNPedia calls "genosets") they haven't considered? The day is coming that an individual will be able to have her genome sequenced and know exactly what went wrong and maybe even how to fix it. For now, medicine is hampered by a lack of data. Cheap ($1000) genome sequencing will help fix that, and it's in the pipeline. The bottom line (in my opinion) is that for the moment, these are the tests we have, and they do give us some useful information, so there's no reason not to use them. Your top onc disagrees. But he's fails to consider that the worst thing that happens by using these tests is that the research will advance for the benefit of those who come later. __________________ 2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change 3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much 4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer 5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5 6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3 7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66% 7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11 9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64% 9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012 12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy! 2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17 5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial 6/19/12 MUGA 61% 8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged) 9/4/12 Herceptin done! 9/6/12 Port out! 7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013 5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg 9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation 10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy