Earlier this year, Geisinger announced it had enrolled the 300,000th participant in MyCode, a healthcare system-based biobank, and health project that studies the relationship between DNA, health, and disease. Participants’ DNA provides the information that can help to prevent disease by detecting it earlier and treating it better.
The Genomic Screening and Counseling (GSC) Program informs patients of clinically actionable results. Patients can enroll in the MyCode Community Health Initiative by filling out a form with MyCode team members while at a Geisinger clinic or by logging onto the Geisinger website. Each patient who enrolls gives a blood sample whenever he/she has other lab work completed at a Geisinger facility. As part of the MyCode GSC program, DNA samples are analyzed for changes to genes that would indicate a high-risk condition. These include the genes known to increase the risk for breast, ovarian, early colon, uterine, and other cancers. The GSC program also returns genomic risk results for early heart attacks, strokes, and several additional heart conditions, including cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias.
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