Genetic testing facts

People are almost identical to each other



But we are still different …



Every cell contains DNA organized in chromosomes


DNA is formed from a sequence of four different nucleotides


The specific sequence of nucleotides creates a gene


Genetic sequence

Genes carry the information for the creation of protein


SNP makes us unique


The SNP is inherited from parents and it determines the genotype


The genotype influences the phenotype


The importance of association studies

Numerous diseases are influenced by several genes as every gene somewhat contributes to the final risk. The SNP itself does not cause disease; it is only the change in a specific location of the DNA that is related to the risk. The SNP is discovered with the help of association studies in which we compare the genetic composition of people suffering from certain diseases with that of people who are healthy. If we find that certain SNPs are more frequent among people suffering from certain diseases, we can conclude that these SNPs are related to the development of said diseases.

Does genetic analysis tell the absolute truth?

With the analysis of SNPs we can calculate the probability of development of a certain disease usually compared to the average risk within the population. Despite the fact that this is a probability backed with a statistic foundation within scientific research, knowing the SNPs cannot predict with certainty whether an individual will develop particular conditions or not. Various environmental factors can influence the development of disease, as well as possible unexplained genetic factors.

Applicability of the genetic analysis

Genetic analysis is not a crystal ball that predicts the future. It is a scientifically-based starting point for calculating the genetic burden, which shows us the level of probability of developing disease due to our genetic composition. Taking into consideration the fact that both genes and the environment affect us, information of this kind can help us reduce the risk of disease. It encourages us to immediately change the way we live our life (e.g. quit smoking) either by aiding the early discovery of disease through early preventive examinations (e.g. lumps in the case of breast cancer, and enlarged prostate in the case of prostate cancer) or by effectively curing the disease.