I am a colon cancer patient, currently in remission. I would like to know
whether I carry the colon cancer gene or not. My oncologist does not know
of any early version of the colon cancer gene test that is available
right now. He did tell me that Dr. Bert Vogelstein of Johns Hopkins
is the developer of the gene testing kit. Does anyone know how to get
hold of Dr Vogelstein? Or does anyone know how I can get a colon cancer
gene test now?
l…@hal.com
In article <4asega$…@bluebird.hal.COM> l…@hal.COM (Long Hu) writes:
>I am a colon cancer patient, currently in remission. I would like to know
>whether I carry the colon cancer gene or not. My oncologist does not know
>of any early version of the colon cancer gene test that is available
>right now. He did tell me that Dr. Bert Vogelstein of Johns Hopkins
>is the developer of the gene testing kit. Does anyone know how to get
>hold of Dr Vogelstein? Or does anyone know how I can get a colon cancer
>gene test now?
I am not sure if it is available as a commercial kit. However, Vogelstein
discovered more than one colorectal cancer gene; he discovered a cancer gene
system, more than one gene working in concert to cause one form of
colorectal cancer. They are APC loss on 5q, k-ras activation on 12p, DCC loss
on 18q, and p53 loss on 17p. Absolutely fabulous research. See:
Fearon ER, Vogelstein B. A genetic model for colorectal tumorigenesis. Cell
1990, 61:757-767.
Frankly, I am not sure what genes you would test or what tissues (normal vs.
tumor tissue) or how useful this would be to you. For example, if you were
recessive for the APC gene, you would have familial adenoma polyposis, which
would mean that your oncologist should see hundreds of polyps in your colon on
colonoscopy (eliminating the need for a genetic test). (Most likely you don’t
have FAP; this is an extremely rare condition.) Hope this is helpful for you.
>right now. He did tell me that Dr. Bert Vogelstein of Johns Hopkins
>is the developer of the gene testing kit. Does anyone know how to get
>hold of Dr Vogelstein? Or does anyone know how I can get a colon cancer
>gene test now?
Actually there is more than one known gene predisposing to colon cancer and
more than one research group is trying to develop detection kits but until
they are marketed we have to wait as distasteful as that seems.
If you wish to contact the Johns Hopkins Hereditary Colorectal Cancer
Registry for information about how to become registered the address is
Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Registry
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
550 N. Broadway/Suite 108
Baltimore MD 21205-2011
They will also provide screening recomendations.