Norway to bring cancer-gene tests to the clinic:
Norway is set to become the first country to incorporate genome sequencing into its national health-care system. The Scandinavian nation, which has a population of 4.8 million, will use ‘next-generation’ DNA sequencers to trawl for mutations in tumours that might reveal which cancer treatments would be most effective.
The consensus seems to be that ~2000 the main proponents of human genomics oversold the short-term biomedical yield on this line of inquiry. But one rule of thumb is that the consequences of novel technologies are often misunderstood; overestimated in straightforward ways in the short-term, but underestimated in unexpected ways over the long-term. To get a sense, you can reread some of the science fiction of the 1950s inspired by UNIVAC. These mass pushes for nation-wide human genomics projects have a comprehensible headline intent. But I wonder if the real results are going to be something we can’t anticipate.
(Via John Hawks)
Razib Khan’s degrees are in biochemistry and biology. He has blogged about genetics since 2002, previously worked in software development, is an Unz Foundation Junior Fellow and lives in the western US. He loves habaneros.
February 6th, 2012 at 3:56 am
Why are cancer mutations the starting point? Is the cost/benefit ratio really that much higher than, say, screening to make sure that close relatives in often rural, isolated communities don’t get married/have children?
February 6th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Because cancer is where the money is.
February 7th, 2012 at 5:01 am
4runner: I don’t think there is much inbreeding in Norway. Consanguineous marriage rates are pretty low and may have been that way for centuries.
February 7th, 2012 at 8:45 am
I would be interested in seeing some statistics. A friend of mine is from a truly rural part of Norway (you have to take a train to a bus to a boat to a bus to reach his hometown). In his family of five siblings– two had difficulties with children that were attributed to their spouses from a few towns being distant relatives.
My friend literally made a conscious decision to only date Asian girls…
February 7th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
4runner: Most of the west coast of Norway is going to be like that. (or may be we have the same friend
). Given such a small population, everyone becomes a distant relative after a few centuries. Even then, wasn’t there a strong church presence, and consequent cultural pre-disposition in Norway to avoid any type of inbreeding?
I will be interested in the statistics too.
February 9th, 2012 at 8:15 pm
Somebody may develop some kind of recipe for ‘optimal genetic compatibility’ and these databases might then hook you up with your optimal sperm donor.