Ángel Carracedo, head of USC’s Genomic Medicine group and director of the Xenomics Public Foundation, explains that his ultimate goal is to Patients have access to DNA testing That improve their health and quality of life.

These tests are based on very cheap and fast tests, according to Carracedo himself, through which the genetic variations that predispose to the appearance of breast cancer can be analyzed. The results of this DNA test will be added to exploration of clinical variables to be able to establish a more precise diagnosis for the patient and thus be able to specifically determine a prevention plan or even choose the best therapy.

Ángel dreams that within five years, it will be possible to carry out this genetic examination, which, for the first time in Spain, will detect the genetic risk of common diseases among the population. The first goal is to start with breast and ovarian cancer and then move on to osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

A new project in Spain which will soon follow the model of other European countries where, in some areas, this test is already being applied to detect various pathologies. For example, in England, this method is used to track seven diseases; in Finland, for three people, and in Germany, for two.

The IMPaCT project proposes the first pilot study for breast cancer, whose detection is currently focused on patients with age-related mammography, but could be significantly improved and more precise if we add clinical parameters and genomic information, said Carracedo.

What is the GOAL?

Basically the main goal is efficiency, ie linking genetic information to more subjective clinical parameters, such as lifestyle, to achieve more accurate risk prediction. The genetic component of this common disease can be up to 50%, so genetic information alone is insufficient to achieve an accurate prognosis.

This program promises a future where this genetic test can be routinely applied in public health systems across the nation with scientific and quality criteria. The future that researchers think is getting closer.