Genetic Testing for Prostate Cancer

Do you know a family member, friend, or mutual friend who has been affected by prostate cancer? Chances are, you do. Studies show that about 1 in 9 men will develop prostate cancer throughout their lifetime. This results in it being the second leading cause of cancer death for men in the United States. Although it is dangerous, the five-year survival rate of prostate cancer is almost 100%, and more than 60% of people diagnosed with prostate cancer are over 65 years old. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, however, the five-year survival rate is closer to 30%.

There are three genes that are primarily associated with prostate cancer: BRCA1, BRCA2, and HOXB13. Mutations to these genes are what can cause prostate cancer. These mutations are inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, which means that if one of the parents has the mutated gene, then there is a 50% chance that the child will have the mutated gene. Having the mutation does not guarantee inheriting prostate cancer, but it does increase the likelihood.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 function to produce proteins that fix damaged DNA and prevent cells from growing and dividing more than normal. When these genes are mutated, it can disable the functionality of these proteins which leads to cells quickly developing and growing, resulting in a tumor. HOXB13 causes the production of proteins that bind to DNA and regulate the production of other genes and also acts as a tumor suppressor. When this gene is mutated, it can cause the same effect as when the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene are mutated.

Due to rapid progressions in technology, genetic testing is becoming more and more common. People may want to have their BRCA1, BRCA2, and HOXB13 genes tested in order to see if there are mutations that could make them more at risk for cancer. Testing for mutations in these genes can help individuals and families in several ways. If the test results in no genetic mutations, families can be granted the peace of mind that the individual who was tested is at a very low risk of developing cancer. If the test comes back positive for genetic mutations, individuals and families can proceed with caution and check in more with their doctor to ensure that if they do end up having cancer, they can catch it early on and minimize risk. One downside of testing is that if there are genetic mutations, it does not guarantee concluding in cancer. This can cause unnecessary stress for families worried about a member getting cancer later on in life.

The most recommended test for prostate cancer is the PCR with allele specification hybridization testing. For only around $25, someone can find out if they have a mutation in one of those genes. The problem with this test is that only around 10% of men with stage four prostate cancer will test positive for this gene. This makes it harder to justify getting the test because you have to interpret the results with a grain of salt. One reason why it might be important to get tested is because prostate cancer is not only hereditary, so someone might think because of a clean family history they are not at risk, but in reality, they should still be cautious.

With men in general having a 1 in 9 chance to have prostate cancer, that number jumps down to 1 in 5 if someone in your family has had prostate cancer. This encourages individuals with a family history of prostate cancer to get tested for the genetic mutations. One issue with the genetic mutations is that mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 doesn’t necessarily mean prostate cancer. These genes have also been linked with cancers such as breast cancer. Although it may not specify which type of cancer, it can still be vitally important to understand that you are at a higher risk in general of any type of cancer by having mutations in these genes.

Although genetic testing seems like only a good thing, there are also some cons to it. When testing for these mutations, some results turn up uncertain. This means that you would have wasted time and money to get no valuable answers. The biggest problem with genetic testing for prostate cancer is if the results come back displaying no variations in genes. Having no variations does not make you immune to cancer. Your chances of having cancer without these mutations are lower, but they still exist. Receiving the results of no genetic mutations can give someone a false sense of hope of not having cancer, which can lead to finding out one has cancer later than desired. The post from Virginia Oncology Associates does a great job of clarifying the pros/cons and risks/rewards of genetic testing in general [https://virginiacancer.com/treatments-services/services/genetic-testing/advantages-disadvantages-of-genetic-testing/].

If you do test positive for these genetic mutations, it is recommended to consult with your doctor. The first thing that you should do is make lifestyle changes if necessary. Exercising, eating healthy, not smoking, and other good lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. Avoiding high-fat and high-dairy meals while accompanying fruits and vegetables with every entree is the best diet to minimize risk of prostate cancer. Another common next step is to perform a prostate specific antigen blood test, which will indicate essentially how likely you are to have prostate cancer. Depending on the results from this blood test, your doctor may or may not recommend further testing.

With all of this information in mind, remember that it is always a good idea to be proactive when it comes to your health. Whether or not you choose to undergo genetic testing, a healthy lifestyle is the best way to take care of your body.

Work Cited

Facing Our Risk Of Cancer Empowered. (2017, August 11). Who Should Consider Testing? https://www.facingourrisk.org/understanding-brca-and- hboc/information/hereditarycancer/decision_making_testing/basics/genetic-testing-prostate-cancer.php

Genetic Testing Registry. (2018, July 3). Prostate Cancer. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/tests/510771/

Genetics Home Reference. (2015, April). HOXB13 Gene. https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/HOXB13

Genetics Home Reference. (2015, April). Prostate Cancer. https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/prostate-cancer#diagnosis

SNPedia. (2016, June 14). Prostate Cancer. https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Prostate_cancer

Urology Care Foundation. (2018). Genetic Testing For Prostate Cancer: What You Should Know. https://www.urologyhealth.org/patient-magazine/magazine-archives/2018/fall-2018/genetic-testing-for-prostate-cancer-what-you-should-know

World Climate Negotiation Activity

When I played my role in the policy exercise, I felt worried about the future of planet Earth. If we didn’t do anything as a planet, the global temperature would raise over 4 degrees celsius by 2100. What made me more concerned was that even after two rounds of negotiation and hundreds of billions of dollars spent per year on reducing deforestation, promoting afforestation, and green energy, the planet will still be 2 degrees celsius warmer by 2100.

In the first round, we (the developing nations) asked for $200 billion to save trees, plant trees, and move towards green energy. Many countries were not willing to meet this number. After the second round of negotiations, once other countries realized how important the money was to producing results, we were able to receive $190 billion per year in order to reduce the global warming. The negotiation periods were stressful because other countries had different motives and goals that didn’t seem to always align with just saving the planet.

Our group changed our ideas because we were initially more concerned with saving the Amazon rainforest and planting more trees, but what was even more important was moving to green energy and reducing carbon emissions. We ended up spending around $20 billion a year just for green energy.

We decided to focus on green energy more because of the future climate calculator. Having 100% of our resources dedicated to trees was not as effective as dedicating some to the trees and some to green energy.

In the end, I do think emissions can be cut. Technology is progressing rapidly, but the problem is getting everyone to do their part. It is a worldwide effort to make sure that emissions can be cut.

There were major economic and social costs to make these proposals possible. It takes billions per year to try and cut emissions and utilize green energy and maintain forests. It also requires people around the world to be more conscious of carbon emissions.

I believe that the United States needs to lead by example. In the simulation, the US always just matched China or matched another country, but if they took the initiative, it is possible that other countries would be more inspired and make more of an effort to save the planet.

Clarke Central High School Outreach

On September 27th from 2:30 pm to 3:25 pm, I was at Clarke Central High School to lead/assist a group of students in counting CFUs from their soil samples and calculating and entering their data into an online spreadsheet. We had already practiced counting CFUs in class, which made me feel more confident about leading high schoolers to count CFUs. I had a group of 6 students, so I had three students count one set of samples and three students count the other set. I had them record the data and compare numbers. After, we used the given formulas to calculate the other desired numbers. I believe the activity was intellectually stimulating for the students because it required them to learn something new and apply that new knowledge to calculate CFUs. The activity was relevant to the audience because they were also a biology class learning about bacteria. It was also creative because the students were able to actually interact with the bacteria itself and see it first hand. One discovery I made during the activity was about the students. While in the classroom, I got to experience what every other high school teacher gets to experience during the last class period of the afternoon, which is the struggle of getting high school students to try and accomplish something in the last hour of the school week. It was difficult to keep my group of students motivated, but I found that leading by example and trying to keep things lighthearted and fun was the best way to get them to work. Although the class wasn’t entirely cooperative, it was still enjoyable teaching them something new and watching them learn and have fun in the activity we had been learning about and practicing. Another discovery I made was that partaking in this outreach helped me strengthen my own skills in for calculating CFUs and other information and it also strengthened my abilities of patience and working with teenagers. If I were to repeat this activity again, I don’t think there is anything in particular on my end that I would change. I think most of the problems that occurred were because the class period was at the end of the day on Friday. If I were to repeat this activity, I would select a time that isn’t at the end of the day. I think this activity was pretty effective in showing bacterial antibiotic resistant strains. The activity itself along with the knowledge of antibiotic resistance helps show students how important it is that we address this issue.

Travis Thurber – Photo Reflection

In this picture, I see some lively green plants resting near a seemingly still body of water. in the center, there is a half exposed tire buried beneath the dirt. The area is mostly shaded but some rays of light make it through the tree leaves above.

What I notice in this picture is the main reason why I took it, which is the tire in the ground. If the tire weren’t there, everything else looks like healthy wildlife.

This picture makes me think about the pollution in our environment. The tire is already half buried in the dirt and has sticks accumulating in the center, which leads me to believe that it has been there for a while. I saw it in the ground, and while fully knowing it shouldn’t be there, I still didn’t do anything about it. This made me think about how many people see this item in particular and other pollutants and don’t do anything about them even though they know the pollutants shouldn’t be there. I also wonder how the tire got there and whether it was intentionally left there or not. I think most people would interpret this at first as just someone leaving a tire in the ground and forgetting about it, but after thinking about it more it goes much deeper than that and relates to all the pollution that people forget about or ignore.

When I look at this picture, I feel demoralized. I don’t feel that way just because I was actually there and didn’t dispose of the tire properly, but I feel demoralized because of how often this type of littering/pollution occurs. Throughout the rest of the scavenger hunt I found a lot of trash that needed to be picked up. That trash could be there so long that it becomes buried just like the tire.

I think this picture is a symbol for human interaction with the environment. This shows what happens to pretty areas of nature when mankind gets involved and doesn’t care about the consequences of their actions. Not everyone has to be a hero, we just need everyone to not be a villain when it comes to pollution and littering.

Travis Introduction

In high school, I took biology freshman year, chemistry sophomore year, physics junior year, and computer science senior year. I have always been more interested in the technology based sciences. Since my major is computer science, I get to take a lot of courses about software and hardware development/engineering.

It has been quite a long time since I have studied biology, so I am excited to see what I remember and also learn more about what I don’t know. I am mostly looking forward to learning about not just the specific processes and definitions that make up biology, but also how it applies to our day to day lives.

I believe that the outreach with Clarke Central High School students project is the most interesting and beneficial project. Every student will be able to collect their own samples and test them, which gives everyone their own results and sense of involvement in the project. I haven’t had any experience with a project like this, but it seems like an exciting opportunity. I think other students would enjoy this too because it is dealing with harmful bacteria that can end up affecting the entire world.

The harmful bacteria we would research in the outreach with Clarke Central High School is an issue that I haven’t heard of until today. This is something that I am sure a lot of others don’t know about that we can raise awareness for. We could learn if there is anything we could do to help or if there are things that other companies can change to prevent these bacteria from forming and spreading.

I want to learn more about the environmental effects of human actions. I want to know more about how human actions with the environment has harmed or changed the climate on earth.