By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health 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
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    Getting Back in the Game: Sports Injuries Rehabilitation Tips
    May 31, 2023
    4 Signs It’s Time to See a Therapist
    May 24, 2023
    11 Ways To Modernize Your Private Practice
    May 17, 2023
    How to Recognize the Signs of Hormonal Imbalance in Men
    May 29, 2023
  • 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
    Making Health Addictive: Employ Subliminal Messaging
    February 7, 2014
    Nothing About Me Without Me – Participatory Medicine, Meaningful Use, and the American Hospital Association
    May 7, 2012
    wearable technology
    How Wearables Will Transform the Health Insurance Game
    May 12, 2014
    Latest News
    MRI Sedation Options: What You Should Know Before Screening
    May 17, 2023
    What is the Process of Creating Medicine from Nature?
    May 2, 2023
    Choosing the Right Treatment Option for Varicose Veins
    May 2, 2023
    What Are Wrong-Site Surgeries and How Do They Occur?
    April 27, 2023
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: The “Luck of the Jewish” in Cancer
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Aa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Aa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
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: 2013/07/17 at 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

cosmetic dentistry

The Most Popular Cosmetic Dental Procedures

7 Reasons Regular Dental Exams Are So Important
Different Types Of Dental X-Rays Explained
What You Need to Do to Avoid Periodontal Disease
Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options for Watery Eyes

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: cancer, genetics

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Andrew Schorr July 17, 2013
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
Previous Article low cost healthcare High Quality, Low Cost HealthCare: Thoughts for Our Upcoming Webinar
Next Article health navigators What Is a “Navigator”?

Stay Connected

1.5k Followers Like
4.5k Followers Follow
2.8k Followers Pin
136k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

medical bills
Who is Responsible for Paying the Medical Bills After an Injury?
News June 1, 2023
sports injury rehabilitation
Getting Back in the Game: Sports Injuries Rehabilitation Tips
Health May 31, 2023
brush your day
How Many Times A Day Should You Brush Your Teeth?
Dental health May 29, 2023
Chiropractic Laser Therapy: A Beacon of Hope for Chronic Pain Sufferers
Chiropractic Laser Therapy: A Beacon of Hope for Chronic Pain Sufferers
Therapies May 29, 2023

You Might also Like

brush your day
Dental health

How Many Times A Day Should You Brush Your Teeth?

May 29, 2023
Dentures
Dental health

The Pros and Cons of Having Dentures

May 23, 2023
jaw bone
Health

How To Maintain Jaw Bone Health As You Age

May 15, 2023
genetic risks of vision problems
Eye Care

The Role of Genetics in Vision Disorders: A Deeper Look

May 11, 2023
//

We influence million of users and is the most authentic source of information on healthcare business and technology news.

Quick Links

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Follow US

© 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?