On the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast, Dr. John Kisiel, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic, discusses screening, treatment and prevention of colorectal cancer. Also on the podcast, Dr. Matthew Ferber, a medical geneticist at Mayo Clinic, explains Mayo Clinic GeneGuide. GeneGuide is the new personal DNA product backed by Mayo medical science and expertise. And Mayo Clinic experts Dr. Susanne Cutshall, a nurse practitioner and integrative health specialist, and Debbie Fuehrer, a mind-body medicine counselor, offer ideas for dealing with holiday stress and the winter blues.

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On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. John Kisiel, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss screening, treatment and prevention of colorectal cancer. Also on the program, Dr. Matthew Ferber, a medical geneticist at Mayo Clinic, will explain Mayo Clinic GeneGuide. GeneGuide is the new personal DNA product backed by Mayo medical science and expertise. And Mayo Clinic experts Dr. Susanne Cutshall, a nurse practitioner and integrative health specialist, and Debbie Fuehrer, a mind-body medicine counselor, will offer ideas for dealing with holiday stress and the winter blues.

Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

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To start, it’s useful to know if anyone on either side of your family has had a major medical condition, at what age it was diagnosed, how it was diagnosed, by whom it was diagnosed, and how it was treated. Then consider expanding these questions out to additional family members. Drawing family trees can help you keep track of this information (trees can be compiled by using tools like the one found in Mayo Clinic GeneGuide™).

“Mayo Clinic GeneGuide combines genetic testing with a web-based educational application to help consumers understand information about their own genetic background,” says Matthew Ferber, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic genomics researcher. “This helps individuals understand their results and learn the language of genetics so they can have informed discussions with their health care providers.”

Today, DNA sequencing and a detailed family history are often used together to help people understand their chances of developing or passing on a disease. For many people, keeping track of their family’s medical history is simply a precaution, and there are often no clues that raise concern. But for some, it can be life-changing. Research has shown that several types of cancer and heart disease could be detected and, in some cases, even prevented if those at risk are identified early.

Some warning signs of a potential disease causing gene within a family include:

• Onset of disease at an earlier age than population average
• Family history of the same disease multiple times in multiple relatives (e.g., multiple relatives diagnosed with an arrhythmia)
• Personal and/or family history suggestive of a syndrome (e.g., colon and uterine cancer in the same side of the family can indicate the family is at an increased odds to have Lynch syndrome)
• Personal and/or family history of a diagnosis of a rare disease

Although DNA sequencing is a powerful way to identify individuals at risk of developing a disease, collecting family history information is still an important practice. The Centers for Disease Control advises that people collect family history information whenever possible. What better time than Thanksgiving to begin the discussion.

The post National Family History Day – What’s in Your Genes? appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic released a new DNA product with Helix, a personal genomics company, called "Mayo Clinic GeneGuide." The DNA-powered product provides healthy individuals with genetic testing and insights with a focus on education. This product is backed by Mayo medical science and expertise.

“The Mayo Clinic GeneGuide app uses the highest quality data to provide individuals with personal genomic insights, backed up with world class educational material helping users to understand their results and learn the language of genetics,” says Matthew Ferber, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic genomics researcher who led the development of the app.

Watch:  Dr. Matthew Ferber

When an individual orders Mayo Clinic GeneGuide, the process begins with a Mayo-affiliated physician reviewing the individual’s health history. If Mayo Clinic GeneGuide is appropriate for the individual, the physician orders the test through Helix’s clinical lab that is accredited by the College of American Pathologists. Then Helix will ship a saliva collection kit to the individual within two days.

Once Helix receives the saliva sample at its accredited lab, the DNA is sequenced, resulting in 100 times more data than other types of genetic testing. These data are stored securely for future use. Then the genetic insights are interpreted by Mayo Clinic and the results are accessible on the Mayo Clinic GeneGuide web application.

Users receive genetic test reports that educate on health and disease risk. Health and disease risks range from complex illnesses and hereditary genetic conditions to how the body processes certain over-the-counter medications and physician-prescribed anesthesia. Decision-making tools help people better understand potential risks for specific health conditions. Individuals also can share their results with their health care provider for informed decision-making on actions related to their health.

"Mayo Clinic GeneGuide is an important step forward in helping people make informed health decisions involving DNA, and is a critical health product on the Helix platform," says Justin Kao, senior vice president and co-founder at Helix. “People are highly motivated to learn about how their DNA impacts their health. We harness the power of DNA sequencing, which allows us to offer health products that give more accurate risk indications. By partnering with Mayo Clinic on this product we are excited to advance our mission to empower every person to improve their lives through DNA.”

Mayo Clinic GeneGuide features include:

• Analysis of disease-causing genes for specific mutations associated with common hereditary conditions
• Educational modules written by Mayo Clinic experts who teach users about genetics and the specific conditions tested for by Mayo Clinic GeneGuide
• Additional content added over time powered by Helix’s Exome+ platform and available to users without requiring a new sample
• Secure and protected database
• Express consent which gives control to the user over how his or her genetic data is used and shared with any third party
• Access to Mayo Clinic-affiliated health care providers and their knowledge base, including genetic counselors
• Powered by Helix’s Exome+ DNA sequencing, which reads and securely stores 100 times more data than other tests, enabling users to access additional products and services from the Helix store without providing another saliva sample

“We need to work toward a future where everyone can benefit from individualized medicine products and services. Mayo Clinic GeneGuide will introduce genomics to a broader audience that Mayo Clinic aspires to engage and educate,” says Keith Stewart, M.B., CH.B., Carlson and Nelson Endowed Director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine. “This is part of the future of medicine in which we routinely employ genomics and empower individuals to help predict and prevent disease.”

Dr. Ferber is available for interviews upon request.

Disclosure: Mayo Clinic has a financial interest in Helix.

Mayo Clinic GeneGuide is not available in Md., N.Y., N.J., R.I., and Pa.

Visit the Mayo Clinic GeneGuide website or the Helix product description page.

###

About Helix
Helix is a personal genomics company with a simple but powerful mission: to empower every person to improve his or her life through DNA. Helix has created the first marketplace for DNA-powered products where people can explore diverse and uniquely personalized products developed by high-quality partners. Helix handles sample collection, DNA sequencing and secure data storage so that its partners can integrate DNA insights into products across a range of categories, including ancestry, health, wellness and entertainment. From profound insights to just-for-fun discoveries, Helix is here to help people live a fuller life. Helix is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, has an office in Denver, and operates a next-generation sequencing lab in San Diego that is accredited by Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and College of American Pathologists, and powered by Illumina (Nasdaq:ILMN) NGS technology. Helix was created in 2015 with founding support from Illumina Inc., its largest shareholder. Learn more on the Helix website.

About Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine
The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine discovers and integrates the latest in genomic, molecular and clinical sciences into personalized care for each Mayo Clinic patient. For more information, visit the Center for Individualized Medicine website.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, comprehensive care to everyone who needs healing. Learn more about Mayo Clinic. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network.

Media contacts:

• Colette Gallagher, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu
• Susan Buckles, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu
• Helix, 415-692-6799, press@helix.com

The post New Mayo Clinic GeneGuide DNA testing application provides genetic testing, insights backed by Mayo Clinic expertise appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (0:59) is in the downloads. Read the script.

"Most of these kits are what I would consider to be informational or infotainment," Dr. Matthew Ferber says.

Dr. Ferber runs a genetic testing lab at Mayo Clinic and sees home genetic tests as a good that help educate people.

"Genetics is a complex topic, but it doesn't have to be intimidating or scary," he says.

Dr. Ferber says there are three things to know about what these tests do and don't do.

First, they are great for finding out about who your ancestors were and where they were from. They are also good for finding others who share the same genes.

"You can actually find out that you have relatives that you didn't know existed," he says.

Second, many home genetic tests can also tell you what diseases or medical conditions you are predisposed to.

But the third thing to know is that home genetic tests do not diagnose diseases or medical conditions.

"I think that these tests, though they can provide some interesting medical insights, it's completely different than having a detailed medical evaluation and medical workup," Dr. Ferber says.

So if a home genetic test shows your DNA indicates a strong chance of developing breast cancer, for example, you should take that information to your doctor so they can perform more specific tests to see if you actually have breast cancer or just high odds of getting it at some point.

______________________________________________________________

Dr. Ferber will be moderating a panel discussion on home DNA kits at the 2017 Individualizing Medicine Conference: Advancing Care Through Genomics on Oct. 9 in Rochester. The discussion will also feature research by Dr. Robert Green who co-directs one of the first NIH-funded, prospective studies of direct-to-consumer genetic testing services.

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: 3 things to know about home genetic testing appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

New genomic technologies and discoveries are transforming medical care in ways that we have yet to fully understand. It’s no longer business as usual. Physicians are seeing new approaches to many aspects of daily medical care, such as ordering genetic tests, choosing pain management therapies or prescribing medications.

For example, both physicians and patients may ask about the benefits of a do-it-yourself home DNA test. You order the test, spit in a cup, send it in and then receive a summary report. Are these results as reliable as those ordered by a physician? As a physician, can you use your patients’ home DNA test results to guide their health care? These are some of the questions that will be addressed in the breakout session Consumer Genomics: Direct or Indirect, Does it Really Matter? at this year’s Individualizing Medicine Conference.

Moderated by Matthew Ferber, Ph.D. assistant professor, Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, and Teresa Kruisselbrink, genetic counselor, both at Mayo Clinic, the Consumer Genomics session will feature a panel discussion with:

• Robert Green, M.D., M.P.H., professor, Harvard Medical School; geneticist, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and director, Genomes2People Research Program
• David Bick, M.D., chief medical officer and investigator, Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology
• James Lu, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder and senior vice president, Applied Genomics, Helix

This is just one of a robust slate of topics at the conference hosted by Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine on Oct. 9-10, in Rochester, Minnesota. A total of 19 breakout sessions explore a wide range of precision medicine topics at the conference.

Here is a sampling of other topics:

Personalized Pain Management

It can be challenging to find the right pain medication for every patient. There are many different types of pain, and when it comes to medications, one size does not fit all. Some patients may have serious side effects, while others may not get pain relief. Learn more about pharmacogenomics—how a person’s genes affect the way they process medications. It’s one more strategy designed to take the guesswork out of selecting pain therapies and may help find the right drug and dose for each patient.

Moderators:

• Timothy Curry, M.D., Ph.D., director, Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine Education Program; associate professor and consultant, Department of Anesthesiology, and assistant professor and consultant, Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic
• William Mauck, M.D., assistant professor and consultant, Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic

Speakers:

• Gordan Lauc, Ph.D., professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Zagreb;, board member, Genos Glycoscience Research Laboratory, and director, National Centre of Excellence in Personalized Healthcare
• Halena Gazelka, M.D., assistant professor and consultant, Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic

Ethical Challenges in Pre-Emptive PGx Testing

What if everyone had pharmacogenomics testing as part of their routine medical care? This session is sure to prompt lively discussion about the ethical challenges and social concerns that pre-emptive pharmacogenomics testing may unearth and the best way both patients and providers can manage these challenges.

Moderator:

• Liewei Wang, M.D., Ph.D., co-director, Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine Pharmacogenomics Program, and professor, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic

Speakers:

• Richard Sharp, Ph.D., director, Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine Bioethics Program and Biomedical Ethics Research Program, and professor, Biomedical Ethics, Mayo Clinic
• Susanne Haga, Ph.D., associate professor, Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Population Health Sciences and the Center for Applied Genomics & Precision Medicine
• Amy Lemke, Ph.D., senior research scientist, Center for Personalized Medicine at NorthShore University HealthSystem, and senior clinician researcher, University of Chicago

Undiagnosed & Rare Disease Studies

Patients with rare disorders and their families often search for years, looking for a diagnosis and treatment for often debilitating symptoms. Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine’s world class team of physicians and scientists have taken a comprehensive approach to each patient — including functional genomic analysis — as part of the approach to finding a diagnosis. In this session, Mayo staff will join with leading experts from other medical centers to highlight the challenges and successes experienced to-date. They will also discuss emerging opportunities, such as new technologies, additional genomic testing tools and data sharing, that may offer new hope to patients with rare conditions.

Moderator:

• Eric Klee, Ph.D., associate director, Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine Bioinformatics Program, and assistant professor, Biomedical Informatics, Mayo Clinic

Speakers:

• Wendy van Zelst-Stams, M.D., Ph.D., clinical geneticist, head, Division of Clinical Genetics, and Dutch representative at Board of Member States for European Reference Networks, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
• Donald Basel, M.D., medical director, Clinical Genetics Services, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin; associate professor and chief, Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, and associate director, Rare and Undiagnosed Disease Program, Genome Sciences and Precision Medicine Center, Medical College of Wisconsin.

Even more topics and discussions to explore

Additional breakout sessions will feature topics such as beyond bacteria – the microbiome, biomarker discovery, bioinformatics and big data challenges. For a complete list of sessions and speakers, see the conference schedule.

Register for the 2017 Individualizing Medicine Conference

Join us to hear Mayo Clinic and world-renowned experts discuss the latest research in precision medicine and how it can be applied to improve diagnosis and treatment for many conditions at Individualizing Medicine 2017: Advancing Care Through Genomics.

The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, is hosting the sixth annual genomics conference, October 9–10, in Rochester, Minnesota.

• Register today via the conference website.
• See the full schedule.
• Review the list of speakers.
• Follow the latest news related to the conference on the Center for Individualized Medicine blog, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter at @MayoClinicCIM and use the hashtag #CIMCon17.

Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine is hosting the conference with support from the Jackson Family Foundation.

The post Experts discuss hot topics in precision medicine – home DNA tests, pain management, undiagnosed diseases and more appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Angela Jarrett, a supervisor with Gold Cross Ambulance, will share what it’s like being a paramedic. Also on the program, Dr. Matthew Ferber, a geneticist at Mayo Clinic, will explain what information can be uncovered by direct-to-consumer genetic testing. And Dr. Pritish Tosh, an infectious diseases expert at Mayo Clinic, will discuss the recent rise in sexually transmitted infections.

Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

The post Being a paramedic / direct-to-consumer genetic testing / sexually transmitted infections: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Angela Jarrett, a supervisor with Gold Cross Ambulance, will share what it’s like being a paramedic. Also on the program, Dr. Matthew Ferber, a geneticist at Mayo Clinic, will explain what information can be uncovered by direct-to-consumer genetic testing. And Dr. Pritish Tosh, an infectious diseases expert at Mayo Clinic, will discuss the recent rise in sexually transmitted infections.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

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