Health In The Genes Hadassah panel covers updates in genetics, "Jewish" diseases and ethics. BARBARA LEWIS Special to the Jewish News W December 7-9 Sun. Fri. Sat. 10-6 10-5:30 12-5 INSIDE THE ORCHARD MALL Northeast corner of Orchard Lake & Maple 248-851-1260 Contact RICK ZERNER for Exceptional Personal Service hat can genetic testing accomplish? Who should be tested? What should be done with the results? The Greater Detroit Chapter of Hadassah tried to answer some of those questions at "It's in the Genes," a panel discussion Nov. 27 at the Bloomfield Township Library. The program was sponsored by Hadassah's Roosevelt, Mitzvah, Tikvah and Ruach groups and the Nurse's Council, with support from the Genzyme Corporation. About 60 women attended. Hadassah has long been interested in genetic diseases and how they affect Jews. In 1995, the Hadassah Medical Organization joined with researchers at the National Institutes of Health to publish research on the mutations in the breast cancer gene BRCA1, which is prevalent in women of Ashkenazi, or Eastern European, descent. The Hadassah Medical Organization's Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy in Jerusalem is a leader in research in this fast-growing field. Dr. Gerald L. Feldman, director of the Center of Molecular Medicine and Genetics at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, gave an overview of the science of genetics, explaining why some genetic diseases are more common among Ashkenazi Jews. Ghetto Diseases "In Eastern Europe, the Jews tended to live in small, isolated communities and to marry within those communities," he said. The gene pool became concentrat- ed. Even in North America, Ashkenazi Jews tended to marry within the group. We inherit two copies of every gene in our bodies, one from our mother and one from our father, he said. And just about everyone has some genes that are defective in some way. These usually cause no problems unless an individual inherits the defective gene from both mother and father. Some of the "Jewish" genetic diseases, like Tay- Sachs and Canavan, cause severe dis- abilities and inevitable early death. Some, like Type 1Gaucher, can be treated. None is curable. Genetic screening can identify carri- ers of many of the Jewishgenetic dis- eases, including Tay-Sachs, Canavan, Niemann-Pick, Fanconi anemia and familial dysautonomia. Screening can also identify carriers of the genes that cause cystic fibrosis. A single blood sample can screen for several diseases. Many labs offer an "Ashkenazi Jewish" screening panel, though the specific diseases in the screen may differ from one lab to another. Most insurers cover the screening cost. Children whose parents are carriers of the same defecti v e gene have a one- in-four chance of inheriting the defec- tive gene from both sides and suffering a genetic disease. By undergoing screening, couples can discover their risks before they have children and can make informed decisions, said Dr. Feldman. Genetic testing can also identify genes associated with cancer, said Robin Gold, a genetics counselor at Detroit-based Karmanos Cancer Institute. "Cancer is a genetic disease, but genetics is not the same as heredity," she said. Changes in a gene can happen at any age, and the changes accumulate over time. These cumulative genetic changes can trigger tumor growth. "Aging is the number one cause of can- cer," she said. If a cancer-causing gene is passed from parent to child in already mutat- ed form, the child has a much higher & the Area's Best Selection of Fine Automobiles. MICHIGAN —" kik" b hRS OHIO Your Tri-State Source Since 1956 VIN DEVERS MERCEDES-BENZ • AUDI 5570 MONROE • SYLVANIA, 419/885-5111 OH www.vindevers.com DETROIT 12/7 2001 116 Classifieds GET Results! (248) 354-5959 Elaine Horowitz, program chair and president of Nurse's Council Group of Hadassah; Shirley Blumberg, national Hadassah chair- woman of American Affairs/Domestic Policy; Rabbi Herbert Yoskowitz of Adat Shalom Synagogue; Robin Gold, genetics counselor and research associate at Karmanos Cancer Institute; Elaine Sturman, president of h te Greater Detroit Chapter of Hadassah; and Dr. Gerald Feldman, director of the Center of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine.