New cancer test being touted
Researcher Danai Tiwawech demonstrates GSTM1 testing, which is believed to be able to predict the risk of cancer, at the National Science and Technology Fair at Bitec in Bangkok.
|
|
Would it be good or bad to know 10 years in advance whether one might have cancer?
"Well, for me it's better to know than not," said Kitti Salapornchai, 43, whose mother died of cancer of the colon.
Learning from his mother's death, he decided to start to have regular check-ups for cancers commonly found in men his age. However, he now thinks he has found a better way than simply visiting a doctor. Kitti was one of nearly 1,000 people in their 30s and 40s who came to the National Science and Technology Fair 2006 to sign up for testing of the GSTM1 gene, which is believed to be able to predict certain cancers. The fair is currently being held from August 11 to 22 at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Bitec) and the DNA test is being offered by the National Cancer Institute. A Thai research showed those who have GSTM1 have two to three times less risk of developing at least Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (the cancer at the back of the nasal cavity). The findings appeared in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention last year. What's more, a number of international studies have found that this gene acts as an effective detoxifier of carcinogens in the liver, bladder, lungs, colon, cervix and ovaries, said Danai Tiwawech, the lead proponent of Thai GSTM1 research. "Only about half the Thai population have this gene," said Danai, who is also deputy secretary-general of the Council of Scientific and Technological Associations of Thailand and senior researcher at the National Cancer Institute. His team was continuing to look further into the association of GSTM1 and the risk of five other cancers commonly found in Thais including liver, bile duct, lung, cervical and breast cancers. The results are expected in the next few years. "We want to prove whether what Western studies found [about the gene and its benefits against other cancers] really works in the Thai population or not," said Danai. Figures from the Public Health Ministry showed that a range of cancers caused more than 70 per cent of deaths in Thailand. Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer in Asian males including Thais, said Danai. "Just because you don't have the gene doesn't mean you are going to die of cancer, but you have to work harder to lessen the risk of developing it," said Danai. "And when you know you are at a higher risk than others - and on the lookout for it - you will know very fast when it happens." "For years, patients have been encouraged to come in for early detection of cancer so that the disease could be completely cured," said Danai. "The fact is, people usually come to check for cancers after showing symptoms - which means it's a bit too late." "That's why I decided to study the GSTM1," said Danai, adding that he hoped if people have some clue about the risk of cancers in advance, the country will at the very least see improvements in early detection and success in the treatment of cancers. A GSTM1 test is recommended for people aged from 30, which is 10 years ahead of the age considered in the high risk range for several cancers, said Danai. The National Cancer Institute can facilitate about a hundred GSTM1 tests per day, and the cost per test is around Bt800.
Arthit Khwankhom The Nation
|
