Re: [pyrnet] Cancer

[JGentzel@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/16/2002 8:28:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, bamb@monmouth.com writes:


> Which, in this context, I
> suppose all cancers "could be". Which is why I asked if the statement was
> out of context. I'd imagine when the statement was made, it was in the
> context that it is possible for cancers to be inherited. With which I do
> agree. But my understanding at the time was that the researcher was trying
> to say that all cancers are inherited. Which I disagree with most
> wholeheartedly.


At best this is a very difficult subject for us lay people and it is helpful if we take careful consideration of the terms as opposed to jumping to conclusions.  Heritability has a lot to do with factors influencing genetics and can sometime have very little to do with the actual inheritance that goes from generation to generation (but can be very important as well).  In the end each factor will play a role in the genetics of an organism.  Its the same sort of thing (not precisely the same but for illustrative purposes similar in nature) one sees with certain people being able to consume fat without the detrimental effects, etc.  Why are certain segments of the population more prone to problems like prostate problems, heart problems, etc.?  Part of the answer that we have not understood very well is in the heritable properties of genetics.  I am going to mess around here and say something ridiculous wrong as I am way over my head trying to focus the concept.  

My only point was that it appears that certain genetics may be less susceptible to cancers than others.  This is a rather new and interesting area of investigation that I understand is in its infancy at the moment as well.  I got into this by having the only surviving littermate.  The rest (all of them) have succumbed to osteoscarcoma within the last two years.  Now we look carefully at the sole survivor of the litter and her get to see what happens in the years to come.  She was bred to our breeding that has never seen any osteoscarcoma and only a couple cases of any other cancers now in 30 years.  Not sure what all this means, but my hope is our surviving bitch will be OK and her get will not be affected. BTW, these littermates that succumbed to the osteoscarcoma were not all raised in the same region and probably did not feed the same food.  And one litter would be way too restrictive a sample to make much in the way of an assessment of the problem anyway.  We have to start somewhere and the research being done at Colorado State seems to be at the front at the moment, so this may be our best information.  

Joe