Most genetic tests used to help physicians choose the best treatments for cancer patients examine a small number of genes. This may not be the case for long. The rapid advances in DNAAbbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid. Composed of very long strings of nucleotides, which are abbreviated as A, C, G and T. DNA is the storage form of our genetic material. All of the instructions for the production of proteins are encoded in our DNA. sequencing technology have driven the cost down from millions of dollars to thousands of dollars per genomeThe full set of genes in an organism. Humans have an estimated 25,000 protein-encoding genes in their genome.. A small pilot study performed by researchers from Michigan, Texas and India has shown that it is feasible to get whole genome sequencing performed on cancer patients in a timeframe (about a month) and at a cost (thousands of dollars) that makes it reasonable to pursue further. The end result is that physicians can have information about every geneA stretch of DNA that leads to the production of an RNA. The RNA is produced during the process of transcription. This RNA can be used to guide the formation of a protein via translation or can be used directly in the cell. in a patient. The research showed that sequencing and gene activity results are very likely to be of great benefit to cancer patients.
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