Navigenics has made some significant additions to our genetic testing services.
Five new health conditions have been included in our test panel, and we have added 53 SNPs for a dozen existing conditions, which enhances the predictive ability of our genetic tests. We have also made improvements to our Alzheimer’s disease test.
With these changes, our Health Compass customers will receive the most up-to-date results.
Read on to learn more about the new conditions.
The newly added health conditions are deep vein thromobosis, hemochromatosis, lactose intolerance, melanoma, and sarcoidosis:
- Deep vein thrombosis can be fatal and affects more than two million Americans. Navigenics tests for four gene variants that predispose to DVT, one of which increases risk 10-fold, but basic preventive measures can reduce DVT risk.
- Hemochromatosis, which affects about 1 million Americans, interferes with the body’s ability to regulate iron levels and can lead to organ damage. Gene variants included in the Navigenics service contribute to a large part of hemochromatosis risk, and if diagnosed in time, the condition can be controlled through a few basic actions.
- Lactose intolerance also has a strong genetic component, affects as many as 50 million Americans, and can be controlled through dietary changes.
- Melanoma is responsible for 75 percent of skin cancer deaths, but fortunately, more than 95 percent of people with melanoma survive beyond five years if their cancer is caught early.
- Sarcoidosis is a rare, hard-to-diagnose autoimmune disorder, and some researchers have reported an increased risk of this disease among World Trade Center rescue workers.
Now, two new SNPs have been added to our Health Compass genetic testing service for Alzheimer’s disease. These directly measure whether a person carries the APOE-2, APOE-3, or APOE-4 variants, and give the most comprehensive measure of Alzheimer’s disease risk.
New SNPs have been added for 12 other conditions, improving the predictive ability of the test and giving our customers more accurate and up-to-date results. Eighteen SNPs have been added for Crohn’s disease, bringing the total number of SNPs tested for this condition up to 27.
Additionally, nine new SNPs have been added for lupus, seven for type 2 diabetes, five for prostate cancer, three for macular degeneration, two each for celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis, and one each for breast cancer, obesity, osteoarthritis, psoriasis, and restless leg syndrome.
Navigenics Health Compass customers receive their updated results free of charge.