To date, national medical sta-
tistics are not based on informa-
tion about patients' religious
backgrounds. It is therefore dif-
ficult to track whether Jewish
women are more or less prone to
the disease.
In recent months, however, re-
searchers with the National In-
stitutes of Health have detected
a gene mutation that might pre-
dispose Jewish females of Ashke-
nazic (Eastern and Central

•

•

•

••••-

•-•

Dr. William Peter

European) descent to breast and
ovarian cancers. Their findings
were published in the Sept. 28 is-
sue of the medical journal Nature
Genetics.
In metro Detroit, an estimat-
ed 400 females are carriers of this
mutated gene, which could sig-
nificantly increase their chances
of developing cancer before age
50.
Scientists discovered the mu-
tation, called 185delAG, on a
gene known as BRCA1 (Breast
Cancer 1). Normally, women run
a 12 percent chance of develop-
ing breast cancer at some point
during their lives. But women

Being a smaller

other noted specialists-including those who've

h ospital definitely has its

pioneered the field of high-risk pregnancy.

vantages It allows us to spend

From our educational programs to

.
i t
w h

r
f rom

the moment you

our Complete Care Nursety with a full time

discover you're pregnant to the day you and

neonatologist, our goal is to make your

your new baby leave for home.

pregnancy as trouble-free as possible.:,

more tune

you,

However, in many respects, small is the

-

Which means the only thing you need to

concentrate on is choos-

last thing you'd call us.

Because as part o f

Huron Volley Hospital

1601 E. Commerce' Rd.
Commerce Twp .

The Detroit Medical

Center, affiliated with

Commerce Rd.

ing the perfect name.

To meet with

Huron Valley physician,

Wayne State Universi ty

call

Dr. Anne Greb

we offer the experience

You'll see how easy it is

with alterations to BRCA1 face
an 85 to 90 percent likelihood. Of
these high-risk women, half will
have breast or ovarian cancer be-
fore age, 50, according to NIH
data.
Scientists with NIH have ex-
amined the BRCA1 gene in 858
blood samples from Jewish peo-
ple living in the United States,
Canada and Israel. Of eight sam-
ples testing positive for the

not only of our own ob-

to get the right care,

stetricians, but of many

right here.

,

CANCER GENE page 54

Wayne State University

(810) 360-3450.