<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-14825" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/sled_dog-300x270.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="270" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/sled_dog-300x270.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/sled_dog.jpg 365w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Watching the Olympics, I am awed by the athleticism of the contestants: they compete with strength, skill and coordination that I could hardly dream of possessing. Certainly hard work and determination has played a role in each athlete’s story, but probably good genes have also contributed to their success.
And if <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/wellness/muscle-composition">genetics plays a role in human athletics</a>, it plays an even greater role in the success of animal athletes who are bred with performance in mind. Alaskan sled dogs were once just working dogs, but over the years have been carefully bred into a class of elite four-legged athletes.
Heather Huson and Elaine Ostrander from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have lead a team of researchers from the NIH, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the University of California, Irvine to discover what makes a great dog athlete. Using the tools of modern genetics, they have addressed several questions. Are there genetic differences between sprinters and distance racers? Are there genetic differences between the “top dogs” and those that finish second? Their study&#8217;s findings were recently published in Mammaliam Genome. 

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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px;" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" alt="" width="24" height="40" /> To date, more than 150 genes have been linked to different aspects of physical performance in humans. One of the clearest associations is seen with a gene called ACTN3 that is normally turned on in a type of muscle fiber used for power-based sports. A single SNP can turn this gene off. 23andMe customers can see their muscle performance report to see if they are more genetically predisposed to be a sprinter or a endurance athlete.
Not yet a customer? Visit our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">store</a> or <a href="https://www.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">learn more</a>.
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Alaskan sled dogs do not belong to one pure breed, but rather are a blend of several different purebred breeds that were combined to optimize for strength, speed, and trainability. Using genetic ancestry analysis, the team of researchers were able to confirm that sprinter and long distance racer dogs have significant differences in their breed blends. Using purebred Alaskan malamute, Siberian huskies, German shorthaired pointers, and borzois for reference, they established that sprinter dogs have a considerably larger dose of German shorthaired pointer ancestry and long-distance race dogs have more Alaskan malamute and Siberian husky ancestry. The authors suggest that dogs with more husky ancestry have more “mental toughness,” a necessity for the long hauls, whereas dogs with more pointer ancestry may be easier to train and are more eager to please and perform.
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Heather Huson: 
Scientist and Sled-Dog Racer 
Heather Huson, one of the leading researchers in this study, is a not only a scientist but also sled dog racing enthusiast.   Having qualified for the US Olympic team twice, she comes at this research with first hand knowledge. You can read more about Huson&#8217;s accomplishments &#8212; both at the bench and on the snow <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;ved=0CGMQFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nih.gov%2Fcatalyst%2F2010%2F10.12.01%2Fcatalyst_v18i6.pdf&amp;ei=CvMfUM2HMa3SiAKKyoDIAg&amp;usg=AFQjCNHZ2VyBKqB3LnwDp-l2FVmil6rb3w">here (downloadable pdf)</a>.
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The researchers also did a genome-wide association study looking for genetic factors that influence heat tolerance in both sprinters and in long-distance racers.  They found that seven SNPs within one gene &#8212; MYH9 &#8212; were associated with the ability to perform well even in the heat. The dog days of summer perhaps don’t feel so hot for these lucky pooches. There is a similar version of this gene in humans, but more research is needed to determine whether variation in this gene affects human heat tolerance.
As we watch the Olympics in London this summer, we won’t see any four-legged friends on the winner’s podium. Nevertheless, Alaskan sled dogs are tremendous athletes, and genetic studies such as this one may offer insights into the amazing athletic talents of those who actually will be on the podium.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-14805 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage.jpg" alt="" width="1981" height="1229" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage.jpg 1981w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage-300x186.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage-768x476.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage-1024x635.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage-880x546.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RaceDogImage-1180x732.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1981px) 100vw, 1981px" />
Alaskan sled dogs are a mixture of many purebred breeds. Generally speaking, the relative amounts of these different breeds varies according the type of racing &#8212; sprinter dogs tend to have more German shorthaired pointer ancestry and long-distance race dogs often have more Alaskan malamute and Siberian husky ancestry.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Canine Olympians

As far as disease names go, cancer appears to be pretty simple. Breast cancer is a cancer of the breast, and prostate cancer is a cancer of the prostate.
Although this naming system describes where cancer starts out, it doesn’t tell us much about where cancer will spread, which drugs (if any) will work, if the patient will have a bad reaction to therapy, or whether the patient is likely to survive cancer.
<h2>Going Deeper</h2>
To understand these questions, we need to drill deeper and analyze the molecular barcode of both the cancer and the host.
Understanding the molecular profile of a cancer cell can help physicians understand which drugs will be effective in treating the cancer.
The underlying code for what the cancer “shows” to the rest of the body and how it will behave in the body depends on the DNA inside the cancer cells. And what’s becoming evident is that cancer is much more complicated than we used to think.
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Changes in DNA Underlie Cancer 
Cancer develops when normal cells in the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably because of “mistakes” in the DNA code. DNA (a copy of which is contained in each cell) contains finely tuned instructions for cell growth and production, but as cells copy and pass on this DNA they sometimes make mistakes. These mistakes are technically called “mutations” and cause the DNA to be slightly different from the original.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-14832 size-medium" title="Somatic mutation" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Somatic-mutation-300x149.png" alt="" width="300" height="149" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Somatic-mutation-300x149.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Somatic-mutation-768x381.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Somatic-mutation.png 807w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
The mutations that make cells grow too much and thereby cause cancer arise in the course of a person’s lifetime (as opposed to being a change in the DNA that the person is born with) and are called “somatic” mutations.
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<h2>Subtypes</h2>
Under each cancer umbrella, there are actually many different rare diseases. Take breast cancer as an example. By most accounts there are four<a href="http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/SubtypesofBreastCancer.html"> established subtypes</a>, defined based on how the cancer “looks”, both as you would view it under a microscope and on the molecular level.
For instance, a “HER2+” cancer displays the “Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2” (HER2) molecule on its surface but doesn’t display the estrogen receptor (ER) or progesterone receptor (PR), molecules that catch certain hormones as they pass by.
Cancers overexpressing HER2 can be treated with specific drugs targeting the HER2 molecule. But if breast cancer is triple negative, meaning it doesn’t display any of these three receptors (HER, ER, or PR), then drugs that target these molecules won’t be effective against the cancer.
<h2>Genetics Informed Clinical Trials</h2>
The DNA that someone is born with differs in various places from person to person (so-called “germline” variation) and can also impact the course of treatment.
Most clinical trials performed today do not incorporate genetic testing into the trial&#8217;s design. When they discover that some trial participants react poorly while others are super responders, they look to data points such as age, other diseases the patient is suffering from, or medications he or she is taking. But the explanation may lie deep down in the DNA &#8212; subtle differences in the barcode might be enough for some trial participants to develop an adverse reaction while other people taking the drug derive benefit without harm.
Scientists are now learning more about different cancers by characterizing the mutations driving the tumor and a person&#8217;s unique variants that he or she was born with. The course of cancer depends on both the signature of the tumor, something that stems from you but takes on its own life, and you – the host – a necessary participant in the fight against cancer.

The Molecular Barcode of Cancer – Targeting Treatment to Patient

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Many expensive clinical trials fail because the therapy causes harmful side effects in some or all participants or the drug isn’t effective across the board. Genetics may explain differences in response, but as of today DNA testing isn’t a standard part of clinical trials.
Integrating genetic testing into clinical trials should make it easier to determine why certain people benefit from a drug while others don’t. As the price of genetic testing drops, adding a simple test into an otherwise expensive and long process may also make the trial more efficient. Throw the Internet and other new technologies into the mix and speed and efficiency is further maximized.
The scenario goes something like this. A potential participant finds out about a trial through his or her doctor or online – anyone interested could receive alerts when a suitable trial opens. It’s been said that the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_trial#Length">biggest barrier</a> to study completion is the shortage of people who take part and technology should be able to change this. Eligibility is confirmed by going to the trial website and answering a few simple questions.
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About Clinical Trials
The goal of a clinical trial is to determine if a drug or other health intervention is efficacious and/or causes harmful side effects. Trials help ensure that only safe therapeutics are brought to market. Unfortunately this doesn’t always turn out to be the case since a number of drugs still end up being taken off the market after gaining FDA approval. For pharmaceutical companies, clinical trials are both expensive and time consuming. They cost anywhere between <a href="http://www.dddmag.com/articles/2007/09/cost-clinical-trials">100 </a><a href="http://www.dddmag.com/articles/2007/09/cost-clinical-trials">and</a><a href="http://www.dddmag.com/articles/2007/09/cost-clinical-trials"> 800 </a><a href="http://www.dddmag.com/articles/2007/09/cost-clinical-trials">million</a> and take roughly <a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">five </a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">to</a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html"> nine</a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html"> years</a> to complete once a drug enters Phase I testing in human subjects. The big kicker is that only <a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">one </a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">in </a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">five </a><a href="http://www.thebody.com/content/art398.html">drugs</a> end up with the stamp of approval – the rest fail at a high price tag.
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The drug is administered to the patient through a physician, but instead of it being up to the physician to ensure compliance and gather outcomes, technology follows up. Participants receive text messages or email reminders to take the medication and are also asked how they’re feeling to see if the drug is affecting their quality of life. In addition to gathering data about survival, anti-cancer response and adverse events, it’s becoming increasingly important to find out if a therapy impacts quality of life.
Genetic data is collected easily with a saliva-based test – it’s mailed directly to the participant’s home, he or she spits, and then the test is popped back in the mail. When it comes time to analyze the results of the trial, the genetic information is layered upon other data points that are already routinely collected such as age, other diseases the person has, and life expectancy. Scientists look for possible associations between side effects and genetic factors while controlling for a myriad of other factors.
23andMe is already incorporating these ideas – utilizing technology and carrying out DNA testing – into drug studies. Our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/">InVite study </a>with <a href="http://www.gene.com/gene/index.jsp">Genentech</a> is aimed at understanding how genes influence response to treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Participants find out about InVite through advocacy groups, social media sites, or their physician and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/">enroll in the study online</a>. They receive a saliva-based test in the mail and fill out online surveys about their experience taking bevacizumab, also known as <a href="http://www.gene.com/gene/products/information/oncology/avastin/">Avastin ®</a>. This drug is currently not approved by the FDA for treatment of metastatic breast cancer. 23andMe is actively recruiting participants and hopes to determine if a person’s genes could play a role in response to bevacizumab. Participants are not expected to directly benefit from this study.
(Women who began taking bevacizumab on or before December 31, 2011 are eligible for this study – see below for details.)
The example in this post represents a glimpse into the future of clinical trials, but also highlights the challenges ahead – therapies need to be targeted to the right people, technologies need to be tailored for data collection and genetic testing needs to be incorporated up front. With these changes trials should yield faster answers and won’t require as many participants. But the final goal is to arrive in a world of <a href="http://connection.asco.org/Commentary/Article/id/3130/Personalized-Oncology-Care-The-Patient-as-well-as-the-Tumor.aspx">tailored therapy</a> – where therapies are targeted based on the characteristics of both the disease and the individual patient to maximize the chances for success.
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Research on the Genetics of Response to Treatment for Breast Cancer 
23andMe and <a href="http://www.gene.com/gene/index.jsp">Genentech</a> launched the InVite Study to understand how genes influence response to treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Visit<a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/"> https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/</a> or email invite-study@23andme.com for more information.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-12590" title="InVite Logo" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo.png" alt="" width="610" height="221" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo.png 826w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo-300x108.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo-768x277.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px" />
Potential findings of this study may help to determine if a person’s genes could play a role in how they respond to Avastin .
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Incorporating Technology and DNA Testing into Clinical Trials

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-14534" alt="" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-214x300.jpg" width="214" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-214x300.jpg 214w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-768x1075.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-629x880.jpg 629w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-731x1024.jpg 731w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-843x1180.jpg 843w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/photo-scaled.jpg 1828w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px" />
Editors note June 2013: Suzan &#8220;Suzie&#8221; Mickey lost her battle with cancer earlier this month. An advocate for better treatments for women with metastatic breast cancer, Suzie inspired many with her attitude. Our condolences go out to her family.
Positive, helpful, and upbeat. These aren’t words you would expect to describe someone about to start another round of chemo treatment. However, in the case of Suzan Mickey, they are very apt. Mickey is a participant in the 23andMe and Genentech <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/">InVite</a> study on bevacizumab (also known as Avastin ®) and metastatic breast cancer. &nbsp;(Avastin ® is not approved by the FDA for treatment of breast cancer.) &nbsp;
A forty-five-year-old wife and mother of two pre-teen kids, Mickey has many interests, including an unusual predilection for antiques. Finding beauty in a broken and neglected piece of furniture, she says, is a metaphor for finding hope within a devastating diagnosis. &nbsp;Where many people would just see the peeling paint on an old cupboard, Mickey sees opportunity; where many people would see only the bleakness of cancer, Mickey sees blessings.
“I have to live my remaining days with cancer, and I am choosing to see the blessings that come with it as opposed to being focused on the challenges,” she said. “Although my diagnosis is not something I would wish for anyone, it has brought with it many incredible gifts. The love and support I have received from family and friends is humbling. I now focus my time engaged with those that I love, and I never hesitate to experience something new. &nbsp;The little things really do not matter&#8230;spending time with those that you love absolutely does.”
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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" style="float: left; margin-right: 15px;" alt="" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" width="24" height="40"> If you have taken bevacizumab as a breast cancer treatment in the past, you may be eligible to participate in the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">InVite Study</a>.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12590" alt="" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo-300x108.png" width="300" height="108" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo-300x108.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo-768x277.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Logo.png 826w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Furthermore, all 23andMe customers can participate in other scientific research through 23andMe&#8217;s research <a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/23andwe/surveys/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">surveys</a>. Not yet a customer? Visit our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">store</a> or <a href="https://www.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">learn more</a>.
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Given Mickey’s ability to see opportunity in even the hardest situations, it isn’t surprising that she is helping cancer research. Despite having stage 4 breast cancer, Mickey is cheerful and wants to help other women fighting breast cancer. Mickey joined the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/">InVite study</a> &nbsp;because she was interested in helping researchers learn more about &nbsp; bevacizumab and if genetics played a role in how &nbsp; patients responded to treatment.
Although genetics may be one contributing factor to treatment response, Mickey and her doctors believe that the healthy diet she adopted may have also played an important role in her response. After researching the impact of nutrition on chemo treatment response, she switched to a diet with no animal proteins, no dairy, no gluten, and no refined sugar, and instead ate lots of whole grains, legumes, fruits and veggies that are high in fiber. Mickey even studied at the <a href="http://www.integrativenutrition.com/">Institute</a><a href="http://www.integrativenutrition.com/"> of </a><a href="http://www.integrativenutrition.com/">Integrative </a><a href="http://www.integrativenutrition.com/">Nutrition</a> in order to become a holistic health coach, hoping to share this important nutrition information with other women facing chemo. Being diagnosed with cancer, she said, feels like the world is spinning out of control. Mickey believes that the foods she ate allowed her to stay strong and produce less estrogen, creating an optimal environment within her body which she feels gave the medicines their best chance at success. Thus, regardless of one’s genetic makeup, she sees a healthy diet as one positive way to take control.
In addition to encouraging good nutrition, Mickey says that she encourages other women diagnosed with breast cancer not to fear. &nbsp;And certainly, with her cheerfulness, enthusiasm, and concern for others, Suzan Mickey is living proof that a life with breast cancer can instead be a life of strength and hope.

An Active Participant in Breast Cancer Research and in Life

Over the last week 23andMe customers got a different view of their ancestry.


Since we launched our new<a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/ancestry/"> Ancestry Overview</a>, customers now get a quick and comprehensive summary of what their DNA tells them about themselves and their ancestors.


This new dashboard summary gives you a quick outline of where your ancestors likely came from, the number of relatives you’re matched with in our database and how closely they’re related to you, as well as other hard to find ancestry gems like our Neanderthal Lab or the just added feature that tracks the top surnames for your Relative Finder matches.
These changes help you dig deeper into your ancestry by giving you more tools and making the ones we already have easier to use.
For example, our very popular Relative Finder tool now includes a turbo-charged upgrade that displays your matches on a world map.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-14614" title="RF Map" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/RF-Map-300x181.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="181" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/RF-Map-300x181.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/RF-Map.jpg 526w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
It’s not just a cool visualization; it’s also incredibly helpful for anyone on a genealogical hunt for ancestors. It can help you focus your search and triangulate between multiple sources of information by showing where in the world your relatives cluster.
You can also filter the results by how closely related to you the matches are. Beyond that it’s just a great way of telling you more about your family history, where you and your family are from and the places where your connections remain.
Another new feature we’ve added, but are still testing, is a Family Tree. The Family Tree is easy to share with others and offers customers a way to track a lot of family facts beyond just dates, such as major life events, occupation and health information.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-14629" title="family tree form" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/family-tree-form-300x172.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="172" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/family-tree-form-300x172.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/family-tree-form.jpg 498w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Because it’s sharable you don’t have to just rely on your work, but can pool the collective wisdom of your family members to fill in blanks in your tree.
Customers who’ve already done the work of creating a family tree elsewhere can import their GEDCOM data into 23andMe’s Family Tool. There is more to come. A few of our scientists are putting the final touches on a new Ancestry Painting analysis, which we believe will provide the most accurate breakdown of your genetic ancestry now being offered anywhere.
Our new Ancestry Painting will soon draw from approximately 20 different world regions, creating much finer detail of your genetic ancestry and a break down of European ancestry as well as a clear differentiation between Native American and Asian ancestry. We’ll keep you posted on when this new tool is ready.
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Take a look at your ancestry overview<a href="https://www.23andme.com/you/ancestry/"> here</a>. Not yet a customer? <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store/cart/">Visit our store!</a>
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23andMe’s New Look at Ancestry

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-11763" title="InVite Study Page" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Study-Page-300x117.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="117" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Study-Page-300x117.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Study-Page-768x300.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Study-Page-1024x400.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Study-Page-880x344.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/InVite-Study-Page.jpg 1128w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Earlier this year 23andMe and Genentech launched <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/">an online study of metastatic breast cancer</a> to learn more about how genes might play a role in how a person responds to bevacizumab, also known as Avastin ®. (Avastin ® is not approved by the FDA for treatment of metastatic breast cancer.)
Since women began to sign up to participate in the study, we’ve expanded eligibility to offer more women the opportunity to participate.
We’ll be posting a few stories from patients and advocates about the study in the coming days.
We’re hoping to recruit 1,000 women living in the United States who’ve been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and who started treatment with bevacizumab before Jan. 1, 2012.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-14706" title="InVite-ad1" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/InVite-ad1-300x158.png" alt="" width="300" height="158" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/InVite-ad1-300x158.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/InVite-ad1-768x405.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/InVite-ad1-880x464.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/InVite-ad1.png 1025w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
This study does face some challenges, but we’re being helped by our partners that include the Avon Foundation for Women, <a href="http://www.breastcancer.org/">BreastCancer.Org</a>, <a href="http://www.lbbc.org/">Living Beyond Breast Cancer</a>, the <a href="http://mbcn.org/">Metastatic Breast Cancer Network</a>, the <a href="http://www.tnbcfoundation.org/">Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation</a>, the <a href="http://www.cancersupportcommunity.org/">Cancer Support Community</a> and <a href="http://www.facingourrisk.org/">Facing Our Risk for Cancer Empowered</a> (FORCE). Together we believe we can recruit women interested in joining this study.
If you have metastatic breast cancer, please consider joining this innovative study. If you know someone with metastatic breast cancer, refer her to the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/invite-study/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">link so she can find out more</a>.
23andMe’s research model holds promise because we can recruit people to participate in a study much faster than traditional methods. Our model can also eliminate some of the traditional obstacles that block people from participating in clinical trials. By combining participants&#8217; genetic data with survey responses, we hope to discover new genetic markers for diseases, and understand why some people respond to treatment more readily than others. This information also helps our researchers explore how a person’s health is influenced by the interactions between genetics and the environment. (While this study may generate important scientific findings, participants should not expect to personally benefit from it, as the findings will not change how they are or have been treated for their disease.)
23andMe has already <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/press/sgk1/">seen encouraging results</a> in other ongoing research projects. We’re hopeful that this opportunity to work with Genentech in this first-of-its-kind clinical trial will yield promising results.
For more information about the InVite study email invite-study@23andme.com.

Participating in Metastatic Breast Cancer Research

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-6586 size-medium" title="23andMe_Logo_blog" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog-300x300.jpg" alt="An image of the 23andMe logo." width="300" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog-150x150.jpg 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog-271x271.jpg 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/23andMe_Logo_blog.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Today 23andMe <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/press/fda_application/">announced</a> that we’ve submitted our first round of 510(k) documentation to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The application provides a detailed description of our Personal Genome Service ®, extensive data supporting the performance of our technology, and comprehensive discussions of the science supporting the information we present to customers about their genetics and its impact on health.
Not too long ago personal genomics was a new idea. Consumer personal genomics was even more novel &#8212; the idea that everyone, not just doctors and researchers or those with special health needs, could know what was in their DNA. What wasn’t new was the desire to improve our knowledge of what all that DNA means and for that knowledge to make a difference in people’s lives.
We started 23andMe six years ago with those goals in mind and since then more than 150,000 people have joined us to learn more about what&#8217;s in their bodies and to contribute to our innovative research platform. Already our growing research community has made discoveries in many diverse topics, including the photic sneeze reflex, male pattern baldness, and Parkinson’s disease.
As with anything new and potentially disruptive, there have also been concerns. The FDA responded to some of these concerns by indicating that direct-to-consumer genetic testing services require regulatory review to remain on the market. We remain strong in our belief that consumers have a fundamental right to their personal genetic data. We believe personal genetic data will power a revolution in healthcare. But we also recognize that appropriate oversight of this industry can be a stepping stone on the path to realizing that revolution.
For the last three years we have worked with FDA to apply their regulatory approach to direct-to-consumer genetic testing. It is important to us that a regulatory framework for genetic testing reflect the dynamic nature of genetic science and protect individual access. What we know about the genome changes every day. If we want our genetic information to be current, there needs to be a way for us to update that information quickly.
We are confident that our initial application to the FDA is complete and comprehensive. Being the first in the industry to announce we are actively working toward FDA clearance of our direct-to-consumer service demonstrates our commitment to make personal genetics an integral part of routine healthcare without sacrificing people’s right to access information about themselves. Our goal is to remain the world’s trusted source of genetic information &#8212; not just for people with a doctor’s order, but for everyone regardless of why or how they choose to learn about their DNA. DNA is fascinating, but it’s even more fascinating when it’s about you.

23andMe Takes First Step Toward FDA Clearance

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-4013 size-full" title="geneticresearch7" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/geneticresearch7.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="268" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/geneticresearch7.jpg 350w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/geneticresearch7-300x230.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" />
Team 23andMe will again have a strong presence at the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics.
We’ve been at this gathering of geneticists and those interested in human genetics ever since 23andMe launched, but this year with the 62nd annual meeting being held in San Francisco – sort of our backyard – we’ll be there en masse.
Each year the annual meeting attracts the best and brightest in human genetics with thought-provoking displays of research results and stimulating discussions. This year is no different and more than 6,000 people are expected to attend over the four days starting on November 6th.
Along with the 24 scientific sessions – including panel discussions featuring our Senior Director of Research Dr. Joanna Mountain, who will discuss research partnerships between academics and private companies, and Science Content Manager Dr. Shirley Wu, who will speak on the use of social media in research  – there are also 400 presentations drawn from abstracts submitted by scientists from around the world.
This year 23andMe submitted almost two dozen abstracts on a wide range of topics including our groundbreaking and first-ever genome-wide association study on sexual orientation, as well as preliminary findings from our<a href="../announcements/exomes-the-first-of-many/"> Exome Pilot</a>, which is the first exome sequencing offered directly to consumers. (We will link to these abstracts when they’re available on the ASHG website.)
Also reported in one of the abstracts are some of our findings from a full-genome sequencing project on 50 people with the LRRK2 G2019S mutation associated with Parkinson’s disease. We’ll also have details of a study that looks at an association with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.
Being 23andMe we also have some less serious – but no less interesting – abstracts looking at such things as genetic associations with motion sickness, over 250 genetic associations with common traits such as baldness and unibrow, whether DNA can explain why some women get stretchmarks and others don’t, as well as why some people love cilantro and others think it tastes like soap.
We’re pretty excited by the upcoming conference.
We are particularly proud of our colleague, Dr. Uta Francke, who will deliver a presentation as recipient of the 2012 ASHG William Allan Award. As always the gathering will not just be a chance for us to present some of the interesting results from our research, but also to learn from others. There’s some fun stuff too, including a symposium on “Human Genetics in Contemporary Poetry, Fiction, and Art: How Humanists View our World,” and meeting will close with a forward looking symposium on the future of human genetics.
The preliminary 2012 Meeting schedule is now available. While we can’t wait for the meeting, we’re even more excited about sharing some of the interesting findings and breakthroughs we’ve made with the help of our customers. In the coming weeks we’ll collect information on all the 23andMe presentations onto a single web page so you can find them easily.
Stay tuned for more information about 23andMe’s presence at ASHG.
We’ll have a booth in the Exhibit Hall, and knowing our scientists, they’ll manage to squeeze a party in there too.

Highlighting 23andMe Research at ASHG 2012

Editor&#8217;s Note: This post does not reflect the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/hereditary-hemochromatosis/">current product offering</a> for customers in the United States. 
Mutations in the HFE gene cause most forms of <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/hereditary-hemochromatosis/">hereditary hemochromatosis</a> – a common genetic condition that increases a person’s risk for iron overload and can lead to liver disease, arthritis and heart problems. HFE-related hemochromatosis is recessive, meaning that you must inherit a mutated gene from each parent to have the condition.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-27487" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/HFE-300x177.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="177" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/HFE-300x177.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/HFE-768x452.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/HFE-1024x603.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/HFE-880x518.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/HFE-1180x695.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/HFE.jpg 1708w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
23andMe customers have long been able to find out their results for two hemochromatosis-causing mutations in the HFE gene: the C282Y mutation and the milder H63D mutation. We’ve now updated our report to include results for a third mutation (S65C) in the genetic results table. The report was also updated to reflect current scientific consensus and to be clearer for our customers.
All three of these mutations are relatively common – 10-30% of people with European ancestry have at least one of them. But only people with two copies of C282Y (or one C282Y mutation plus one H63D or S65C mutation) are prone to accumulating too much iron. 

<div style="float: right; text-align: justify; width: 300px; background-color: #eee; padding: 10px; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; font-size: 12px;">
Why is Hemochromatosis so Common? 
Roughly one in 300 people with European ancestry has hereditary hemochromatosis. Rates are even higher in certain groups such as Irish, Australian, and Swedish.
The fact that hereditary hemochromatosis is so common has prompted scientists to speculate that despite the dangers of high iron levels, there was at some point in the evolutionary past an advantage to having the genetic change that underlies this condition.
Several (currently unproven) theories have been proposed.
<ul>
<li>Variation in the HFE gene arose as people began farming and increased their consumption of cereal grains, which are lower in iron than red meat that predominated in stone age diets.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Increased iron levels were advantageous because they protect women against iron deficiency brought on by menstruation and childbirth.</li>
<li>Another theory takes into account the fact that hemochromatosis actually leads to a reduction of iron levels in a certain immune cell (the macrophage), which in turn may have given people an advantage by making them resistant to certain infections.</li>
</ul>
</div>
It can sometimes be confusing to interpret your results for this condition because most people prone to iron overload never show outward signs of the condition. Symptoms also vary widely – from fatigue, to hormone problems, to heart and liver disease – and are influenced by a person’s mutation type, sex, and diet. Age also plays a big role since iron can accumulate in the body over time – if symptoms develop at all, they typically appear later in life between the ages of 40 and 60 in men and after menopause in women.
So what does it mean if you have two mutations linked to hemochromatosis and what should you do with this information?
The short answer is that further testing is recommended. Physicians can order blood tests to measure transferrin saturation and serum ferritin levels in blood, which together provide a good picture of iron absorption and storage in the body. If these markers are elevated, additional testing to determine the impact on organs may also be warranted.
The good news is that the serious symptoms linked to this condition are very rare and highly preventable. Finding out that you have two mutations in the HFE gene early in life can help you make lifestyle changes under the guidance of your physician – forgoing iron supplements and cutting back on iron-rich food – and/or undergo simple treatments to prevent symptoms from developing in the future.
Find out more about Hereditary Hemochromatosis <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/hereditary-hemochromatosis/">here</a>.
July is National Hemochromatosis Month. Check out other posts on this condition: 
&#8211;<a href="../inside-23andme/learning-about-my-risk-for-iron-overload/">Learning About My Risk for Iron Overload</a> 
&#8211;<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/the-iron-scale-factors-tipping-towards-overload"> The Iron Scale: Factors Tipping Towards Overload</a> 
&#8211; <a href="../inside-23andme/health-2/blood-simple/">Battling Against A Common Genetic Disease</a> 
&#8211;<a href="../inside-23andme/health-2/the-most-common-genetic-disease/"> The Most Common Genetic Disease</a>

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