Who ever said that the topic of cancer is depressing and no one would want to read about it has not read about Cancer genomes. Cancer genomes research is getting exciting. Really! According to Richard Wilson of Washington University in St. Louis, in the next decade or two, a blood sample will determine which drugs will work best for individual patients. “Personalized Genomics, Personalized Medicine”. http://genome.wustl.edu/publication.cgi.
The excitement of this work is that it looks at the entire genome, the entire DNA, rather than just the ordinary suspect or mutant genes in the body. The results find all the mutants in the body, not just the ones expected.
Like Garden Gnomes, Cancer Genomes are rarely inborn but develop later in life. Few small children ask for garden gnomes for Christmas, but Grand Ma or Grand Pa seem to acquire quite a few. Only 5-10% of all cancers are hereditary. Less than 5% of all garden gnomes are thought to be indigenous of their environment
Personalized medicine and personalized cancer treatments in the not so distant future is hopeful! Garden gnomes acquisition at your own risk.