By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    UV damage to eyes
    Warning Signs of Long-Term UV Damage to Your Eyes
    December 9, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    The Ultimate Healthcare Recruiting and Staffing Guidebook
    March 21, 2022
    medicare part d benefits
    Everything that You Need to Know About Medicare Part D
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Conservatives: The Utah Health Exchange is Not a Model
    July 23, 2011
    Medical Malpractice Reform Losing Physician Support
    November 7, 2011
    Hospitals Aim to Apply Direct Payments of Care Delivery to Increase Resources
    August 28, 2012
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: The “Luck of the Jewish” in Cancer
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Specialties > The “Luck of the Jewish” in Cancer
Specialties

The “Luck of the Jewish” in Cancer

Andrew Schorr
Last updated: July 17, 2013 8:00 am
Andrew Schorr
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

Cancer and JewsOkay, we all know the phrase “The Luck of the Irish.” That’s why there’s always hope that Notre Dame University will win a football game, even when they are way behind and it’s in the fourth quarter. But let’s look at heritage a bit differently in 2013, at a time when, in cancer, patients are diagnosed earlier and, in many cases, living longer. So much is being said about genetics.

Cancer and JewsOkay, we all know the phrase “The Luck of the Irish.” That’s why there’s always hope that Notre Dame University will win a football game, even when they are way behind and it’s in the fourth quarter. But let’s look at heritage a bit differently in 2013, at a time when, in cancer, patients are diagnosed earlier and, in many cases, living longer. So much is being said about genetics. For cancer patients it’s becoming more common to look at the genetic mutations that make up the composition of your version of a cancer. That’s looking at when your body starts making defective cells that don’t die – cancer cells.

But was there something in your DNA that put you at risk for this in the first place? For example, I’ve been told, as a Jewish male, that I was at higher risk for developing chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a relatively uncommon condition. I know other Jewish men who developed Crohn’s disease. I think we’re at higher risk for that too. And, of course, you’ve heard of women being tested for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, just like Angelina Jolie. Jewish woman are at higher risk for those genetic problems.

The testing for what we HAVE developing, especially in cancer, is in full swing. Our interview with Dr. Bill Wierda from MD Anderson on prognostic factors is all about that in CLL. But coming next is testing for what we are AT RISK for. There are loads of questions that come with that. For example, if, in fact, Jewish men might be at higher risk for CLL and a test showed my son that he had this pre-disposition, what would he do about it? Mastectomy wouldn’t help with this one nor many other conditions. Giving us “news we can use” to prevent a wider variety of cancers where we are at hereditary risk will be important for us in the coming years.

More Read

Spine Surgery: Fusion, Fixation and Motion Preservation
Living Alone When You’ve Been Diagnosed With Alzheimer’s
Making It Easier for Older People to Live at Home
Time to Discourage Cancer Screening for People with Limited Life Expectancies?
Celebrating Partnerships in Cancer

As I now am in my 18th year as a cancer survivor I think a lot about my three kids. The oldest is 23. What can we do to understand how genetics may affect their risk of cancer (and other illnesses) and how can we help them lower their risk or reduce the morbidity of their treatment should they be diagnosed? I don’t know the answers, just the questions and I hope smart researchers who might read this are on the case. As more of us patients live longer with cancer rather than dying in short order from it, we start asking how we can help family members avoid our journey. Some of us in the Jewish community joke whether our passion for marrying someone Jewish has set us up for genetic related illnesses. The answer in some cases is yes. And we’ve understood that for many years with genetic conditions like Tay-Sachs, a fatal condition for young children who are born with it. But are there cancers to be tested for years before they would develop? Again we have some tests and there will be more.

I am happy to be Jewish and still in love with my Jewish bride, Esther, after almost 28 years of marriage. But I also worry about passing on the seeds of illness. Maybe you will say I am making too much of this, that most cancers are not connected with heredity. But as we identify more genes like BRCA1 and 2 maybe that will be less true.

Understanding family history has always been important in medicine. Perhaps with affordable testing and clear suggestions on what to do with the information, family history will become even more important – whether you have “Jewish genes” or not.

I welcome your comments and suggestions for future programs.

TAGGED:cancergenetics
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

Angelina Jolie: Cancer Prevention to the Max

May 17, 2013

COPD in the United States: The Shocking Truth [Infographic]

November 12, 2015
Medical InnovationsSpecialtiesTechnology

Deciphering the Controversy of Adipose Derived Stem Cells in the Context of Healthcare

August 24, 2020
oral health
Dental healthSpecialties

How Restorative Dentistry Can Affect Your Oral Health

December 19, 2021
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?