Gene, a familiar word, was once difficult to popularize because it was too expensive. However, after 2000, with the development and progress of science and technology, the cost of genetic testing technology has dropped significantly year by year, and national policies have begun to appear in various countries. Leading large-scale genome database construction projects, the more famous ones such as the British one started in 2006UK Biobank, the U.S. precision medicine program started in 2015All of Us, both hope to develop more personalized medical treatment by collecting large amounts of genomic data; Taiwan has actually started to carry out this project since 2012Taiwan BiobankThe construction of the system has so far completed the whole genome typing of more than 100,000 people and the sequencing data of 2,000 whole genomes.
But why the push for genetic testing? Isn’t traditional medical treatment enough? It's really not enough. In the current medical system, even if the same disease is treated with the same drug, different people will have different reactions; and the most widely used field of genetic testing is cancer, because the prognosis of cancer varies. The patient wants the drug to be effective as much as possible, and the drug has strong side effects. At this time, genetic testing can achieve this goal. By detecting the patient's genotype in advance, we can know in advance which drug is more effective. Effective, thereby improving cancer cure rate/survival rate.
However, genetic testing can be used for much more than just that. In fact, in addition to cancer treatment, we can even protect, prevent, and even strengthen health in advance through genetic testing. Some genes may be related to the body's nutrient absorption efficiency, some to toxin metabolism, some to the incidence of chronic diseases, and some to sports performance... The whole gene map can provide us with a lot of information. By understanding the innate characteristics of each person, If there are potential abnormalities or advantages, medical staff can provide more personalized treatment suggestions, allowing us to prepare in advance instead of just waiting for the disease to occur.
Finally, the author would like to remind everyone that whether it is chronic diseases or even cancer, innate genes do not determine everything. The increase in gene-related risks does not mean that you will definitely get the disease in the future. Therefore, do not feel nervous just because the genetic test results are abnormal. , unable to swallow, genetic testing is more like a reminder, allowing you to pay more precise attention to how to improve the controllable factors. In addition, never forget that good living, eating and exercise habits are the cornerstone of a healthy life!
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〈The author is former Attending Physician in National Taiwan University Hospital, and Master of Science from National Taiwan University〉
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