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A California college professor who sequenced his own genome discovered after an analysis of their genes that was at high risk of dying from a heart attack and was very prone to prostate cancer.
The analysis, published in The Lancet medical journal, illustrated the challenges faced by physicians, patients and health systems in these maps as DNA becomes more accessible because people seek to know what kind of diseases can suffer.
As for his own discoveries, professor of bioengineering at Stanford University, Stephen Quake, he found them "interesting."
"I was curious about what could occur," Quake said in a statement.
"But it is important to recognize that not everyone will want to know intimate details of their genome, and it is entirely possible that this group
is the majority. There are many ethical issues, education and policies that must be addressed in the future," he said.
Stanford's team designed a computer algorithm to learn about the known health risks and genetic Quake.
For example, as a white male 40 years, Quake left with a 16 percent chance of developing prostate cancer. However, after taking into account their genes, the researchers estimated that the risk was 23 percent.
Your risk of Alzheimer's, however, fell from 9 percent for white men their age to 1.4 percent when evaluated on their genetics.
The cost of mapping the genome of Quake was around $ 50,000 and used a sequencer of Helicos BioSciences. The data were reconfirmed by another device Illumina Inc.
But the price is falling. The latest machines from companies like Illumina and Life Technologies Corp can map the entire genetic code of a patient for just $ 5,000.
PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE
'I think there will come a point where it passes between the average man, "said cardiologist Euan Ashley, who led the team that analyzed the sequence of Quake.
"We believe that genomic information will be inexpensive and will be quick (...) and analysis may be performed by the click of a mouse at any moment," he said.
Although the patient's cholesterol levels were healthy, their genes made doubt Ashley.
"We found rare variants in three genes that are clinically associated with sudden cardiac death, the TMEM43, DSP and MYBPC3," wrote the team of Ashley. Furthermore, Quake was a distant relative who had died in his sleep at age 19.
The tests showed that other genes Quake respond well to statins to lower cholesterol and there was little likely to suffer side effects from these drugs.
Ashley prescribed a statin for Quake, but, surprisingly, Quake not started taking.
"It's human nature. Even with the evidence of his own genome, are reluctant to follow the advice of the doctor," said Ashley. "I'm going to win," he said.
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