Even healthy-looking smokers have early cell damage which destroys necessary genetic programming

* Smoking causes harm, even when there is no clinical evidence that anything is wrong but cells are already starting to lose control and become disordered

* When you smoke a cigarette, some of the genetic programming of your lung cells is lost and the cells are fertile to develop cancer

Read more at:

Even healthy-looking smokers have early cell damage which destroys necessary genetic programming

Simply, Breast Cancer

Male and Female Anatomy

In a quick glance, ordinary people in usual settings distinguish males and females by glancing for common facial features and anatomy. Hence, the distinguishing anatomical feature between a man and a woman is quite obvious at the upper torso. Biologically, both male and female four-week old embryos undergo a similar process of epidermal thickenings, called milk lines or mammary ridges [1]. This happens before either chromosome pairs of XX or XY interferes with determining physical traits that distinguish males from females [2]. However, during puberty, the hormone oestrogen plays a role in stimulating the development of these mammary glands in females commonly called breast. These glands consist of lobules, ducts and the fatty tissue. 

Breast Cancer Cell

Cells are naturally the main building blocks of tissues that eventually make up organs. Cancer is a dreaded word. The simplest way to explain cancer is the continuous growth of cells which at that point of time are not needed by the body forming lumps. Breast cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in women worldwide [3]. This cancer type is however rare in males. Cancer is either caused by hereditary mistakes or by lifestyle. Hereditary is defined by the damaged DNA material passed on by either parent. A sedentary lifestyle packed with food made of white flour and diet rich in meat while lacking the greens and fruits is considered as risk to causing cancers. Obesity, early age of menarche, age of first pregnancy, nulliparity and late age of menopause are among other risk factors of breast cancers.

Breast Cancer Illustration

Breast cancer if detected at an earlier stage can save a woman’s life. Women are encouraged to carry out self breast examination each month and if at high risk due to hereditary factor are encouraged to undergo mammography. Mammography is also recommended for women above the age of 40. Please see a doctor the soonest if any of these symptoms appear: lumps or thickening of the tissue, flaking skin or discharge from the nipple, 'tethering' of the skin, as if it's being pulled from the inside, any unusual sensation or discomfort or a change in outline, shape or size of the breast [4]. Total mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast and nipple [5]. Depending on the type of breast cancer, some women will be prescribed with hormone therapy [4].

Cancer patients and cancer survivors lead a longer more fulfilling life with the support of loved ones and peers. Hence, it is important to support their decisions on the type of treatments they choose. It is not an easy decision for a woman to opt for mastectomy but it could save her life, therefore the partner’s support in this decision is very significant. The colour pink has been associated to breast cancer promotion and support towards women with breast cancer, with the pink ribbon adopted as an international symbol of breast cancer awareness since the year 1992. The colour pink and blue symbolizes support for men with breast cancer. The 10th month, October, has been officially picked as the Breast Cancer Awareness month. 

Now that you know a little about breast cancer, your support no matter how small can go a long way. 

References:

1. http://tinyurl.com/8o6dqq6

2. http://tinyurl.com/8ewjf8d

3. http://tinyurl.com/ybdo45s

4. http://tinyurl.com/9ry77z8 

5. http://tinyurl.com/3ry83f2

By Jagdish K. Chahil, Senior Scientist (R&D)

Managing Our Own Health, Start with Cholesterol

Ian Waterston is an executive working in corporate finance; he had his first heart attack at the age of 30 when he went for hill climbing during the weekend. He learned a precious lesson from the incident, don’t be dumb. Like him, many of us think that someone as young and fit as him is impossible to have a heart attack, and according to Ian, it is dumb. We heard many stories of friends and family members suffered from heart problems, in certain cases it involves sudden heart attacks which may lead to unexpected death. It may alert us for a while, however most of time, when it comes to managing our health, we prefer to take the passive role and let the nature to take it’s course. 

Why should you manage your own health? 

Most of us leave our health to the doctors. However, we only go to see doctors when we are sick. And that comes with a hefty price tag, its either expensive medical bill, or emotional stress; sometimes it even causes loss of days of productivity. However, if we are to manage our health actively, many diseases are preventable, for example - Cardiovascular disease or in lay man term - heart disease. 

Cardiovascular (CVD) disease is the number one cause of death globally, whereby 1 in 4 deaths in government hospitals are attributed to either heart disease or strokes. To make it worse, it is a silent chronic disease which can take years to develop without any symptom at all. However, by managing the level of bad cholesterol in your body can greatly reduce the chance of getting heart disease. And you don’t even need a doctor to tell you how. 

It’s all started with Cholesterol

Heart disease occurs when a substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Plaque is made up of cholesterol deposits, which can accumulate in the arteries. When this happens, the arteries can narrow over time. Plaque build-up can cause chest pain/ discomfort, because the heart muscle doesn't get enough blood. A heart attack occurs when plaque totally blocks an artery carrying blood to the heart. It also can happen if a plaque deposit breaks off and clots an artery. On the other hand, a stroke happens when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. When brain cells are not getting sufficient blood and oxygen, it will be damaged and lead to loss of brain function, and even death. 

To lower bad cholesterol in your body only requires easy step such as be informed with what you eat every day. Food such as meats, poultry, shellfish, eggs, butter, cheese, and milk contain additional cholesterol, and this is on top of the cholesterol which is manufactured by our body.  Hence, have more fibrous food and complex carbohydrate such as fruit, raw vegetables, brown rice, whole grain breads in your diet. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat at least 25 grams of dietary fiber every day2.

Knowing your DNA 

However, there are also some factors which can lead to high cholesterol in your body but is not modifiable, such as hereditary. The amount of bad cholesterol in our body makes and how fast it is removed from body is determined partly by genes. If an individual inherited certain genetic mutations in those genes from his/her parents, there is a high chance that he/she is suffering from a familial disease called Hypercholesterolemia (A condition where high cholesterol is present in the blood). Today, there are many DNA test available which can ascertain whether an individual’s has inherited the genetic mutations which causes Familial Hypercholesterolemia from his/her parents. Using an advance biochip technology, Molecular Screening Services such as INFOHaem FH1536™ screens for genetic mutation from LDLR, ApoB (ApolipoproteinB) gene and PCSK9 gene. The test also involves clinical examination associates the individual’s lifestyle, family history and medical history to Familial Hypercholesterolemia. If the DNA test found to be positive, it’s important to inform your doctors immediately as you may require certain cholesterol lowering medication. 

In summary, take care of high cholesterol as soon as possible and manage your own health actively. Not doing so will put you at a higher risk of suffering from heart disease. 

1. http://collectivewizdom.com/MyHeartAttackAtAge30.html

2. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=514

3. http://www.infovalley.net.my/~infovall/fh1536%E2%84%A2-test-takers

________________________________________________________________________

INFOVALLEY® Molecular Screening Services is registered under Ministry of Health’s Medical Device Bureau’s MeDVER programme (Registration number: A-000531). INFOHaem™ Molecular Screening was recognized by Frost and Sullivan’s Malaysian Excellence Award 2012, as best product Innovation. For more information, kindly refer to www.infovalley.net.my. 

By Susan Ong, Product Portfolio Manager

Are you Afraid of Cholesterol?

During my university years, one of my friends used to frustrate his parents by throwing away egg yolks and eating only the whites. He thought that he was reducing the risk of heart disease by avoiding cholesterol. How about you? Are you afraid of cholesterol or having high cholesterol? Are you throwing away egg yolks because you think they're bad for your health?

Let’s learn more about cholesterol. Cholesterol is a chemical compound that is naturally produced by the body and is structurally a combination of lipid (fat) and steroid. Cholesterol is a building block for cell membranes and for hormones like estrogen and testosterone. The main sources of dietary cholesterol are meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. Organ meats, such as liver, are especially high in cholesterol content, while foods of plant origin contain no cholesterol.

Cholesterol is not a deadly poison, but a substance that you need to be healthy. High cholesterol itself does not cause heart disease. People who have low blood cholesterol have the same rates of heart disease as people who have high blood cholesterol. The cholesterol found in your blood comes from two sources: cholesterol in food that you eat and cholesterol that your liver makes from other nutrients. The amount of cholesterol that your liver produces varies according to how much cholesterol you eat. Normally, liver produces 75% of the cholesterol that circulates in our blood. The other 25% comes from food. If you eat a lot of cholesterol, your liver produces less. After a meal, dietary cholesterol is absorbed from the intestine and stored in the liver. If you don't eat much cholesterol, your liver produces more. This is why a low cholesterol diet does not typically decrease a person's blood cholesterol by more than a few percent.

Types of Cholesterol

There are two types: Bad" and "Good" Cholesterol. Particles called lipoproteins carry cholesterol in the blood. There are two kinds of lipoproteins you need to know about: LDL and HDL.

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol makes up the majority of the body's cholesterol. LDL is known as "bad" cholesterol because having high levels can lead to a buildup in the arteries and result in heart disease. It is very important to keep LDL levels low. LDLs are produced by the liver and carry cholesterol and other lipids (fats) from the liver to different areas of the body, like muscles, tissues, organs, and the heart. 

High-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol absorbs cholesterol and carries it back to the liver, which flushes it from the body. High levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) are lipoproteins that carry cholesterol from the liver to organs and tissues in the body. They are formed by a combination of cholesterol and triglycerides. VLDLs are heavier than low density lipoproteins, and are also associated with atherosclerosis and heart disease.

What Boosts Your Risk?

Several health factors, lifestyle and genetic factors can make you more likely to develop high cholesterol:

• Condition

– Age: everyone's risk for high cholesterol increases with age. Women's LDL ("bad" cholesterol) levels rise more quickly than do men's.

– Diabetes: Having diabetes can also make you more likely to develop high cholesterol. Diabetes affects the body's use of a hormone called insulin. This hormone tells the body to remove sugar from the blood. With diabetes, the body either doesn't make enough insulin, can't use its own insulin as well as it should, or both. This causes sugars to build up in the blood.

• Behavior

– Diet: Certain foods raise your cholesterol levels. These foods tend to contain saturated fats, trans fatty acids (trans fats), dietary cholesterol, or triglycerides.

– Weight: being overweight can raise LDL, lower HDL, and raise total cholesterol levels.

– Physical inactivity: Not getting enough exercise can make you gain weight, which can lead to increased cholesterol levels.

• Heredity

High cholesterol can run in families. People who have an inherited genetic condition, called familial hypercholesterolemia, have very high LDL cholesterol levels beginning at a young age.

Diseases linked to high cholesterol

Diseases linked to high cholesterol

• Coronary heart disease: If your cholesterol is too high, it builds up on the walls of your  arteries. Over time, this buildup (called plaque) causes hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).

• Stroke can result if the blood supply to part of the brain is reduced. 

• Peripheral vascular disease: High cholesterol also has been linked to peripheral vascular disease (PAD), which refers to diseases of blood vessels outside the heart and brain. 

• Type 2 diabetes is another disease linked to high cholesterol because diabetes can affect the different cholesterol levels. 

• High blood pressure (hypertension) and high cholesterol also are linked.

• Leriche syndrome: there is a block in the lower part of the aorta just before the starting point of the common iliac arteries leading to Claudication, Impotence and Decreased pulses

Diseases linked to low cholesterol

• American researchers found that low cholesterol predicts an increased risk of dying from diseases of the stomach, the intestines and the lungs. Most of such diseases are infectious.

• Low Cholesterol Predisposes To HIV And AIDS

• Low cholesterol levels have been shown to increase the risk for cancer.

• Low cholesterol over the long term may lead to depression, increased risk of stroke, and numerous problems related to hormonal imbalances. If you are not getting enough vitamin D from your diet, having low cholesterol may lead to vitamin D deficiency, as sunlight creates vitamin D in your body by acting on cholesterol found in your skin.

• Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome: children with this syndrome are born with very low cholesterol because an enzyme that is necessary for the body’s synthesis of cholesterol does not function properly.

The Positive Roles of Cholesterol

Actually, cholesterol is essential for survival and plays many vital roles in the body.

• Cholesterol is integral part of membranes and membrane integrity depends on the obligate presence of cholesterol.

• Cholesterol is required for the synthesis of several hormones including the sex hormones.

• Vitamin D is synthesized in the body from cholesterol and it is now known that the roles of vitamin D go beyond bone formation.

• Bile salts are essential for the digestion of the fats consumed and this compound is also produced from cholesterol.

• Cholesterol is anti-inflammatory.

• Cholesterol’s presence is required for the normal functioning of the serotonin receptors. Since serotonin is a mood elevator, low cholesterol levels produce aggressive behaviour and mood swings.

Now the question is do you need Cholesterol? Definitely, you do. The cholesterol is an essential biological molecule present in our body and survival without this compound, is not possible.

The cholesterol is required to form the bile acids and salts, required to digest the fats which you consume. A wide variety of steroid hormones are produced, with the cholesterol as the precursor. It also leads to the formation of vitamin D, required for keeping your bones healthy. So, don’t be afraid of cholesterol. It is a problem only when you have more than what is needed by you.

The essential point is we need to keep ourselves healthy and not just get treated when we our cholesterol levels go badly. I am working as a Bioinformatician in INFOVALLEY since more than four years and was involved in the FH project which resulted in a high density FH1536 chip which is able to diagnose the molecular basis of Hypercholesterolemia, screening for at risk individuals, prognostic about the heart attack and stroke and also advise the doctor the most appropriate medicine. FH genotyping screening can be undergone by subjects of all ages.

Reference:

http://www.medicinenet.com/cholesterol/page2.htm#what_is_cholesterol

http://www.ravnskov.nu/the%20benefits%20of%20high%20C.htm

http://vnsatakopan.hubpages.com/hub/Does-Cholesterol-Deserve-All-the-Blame-it-Gets

http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm#a

http://drbenkim.com/articles-cholesterol.html

http://www.medicinenet.com/cholesterol_levels_pictures_slideshow/article.htm

By Kavitha IS, Bioinformatician

INFOVALLEY Wellness Quadrant (IWQ™)

At INFOVALLEY we believe in WELLNESS.  Wellness does not mean only a healthy body and sound mind. Wellness means being genetically healthy beside physically well. We at INFOVALLEY believe that understanding our genetic wellness is the solution to a healthy future. 

World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or symptoms. INFOVALLEY takes the WHO definition of health one step further and views wellness as a dynamic state of health in which an individual continually progresses towards their maximum potential and higher quality of life. 

The INFOVALLEY Wellness Quadrant to distinguish between SICKCARE and WELLNESS.  We believe that all everyone in the world will fall into the INFOVALLEY Wellness Quadrant. Sick care is associated with treatment of diseases while wellness is associated with preventive medicine.

The INFOVALLEY Wellness Quadrant (IWQ™) has 4 quadrants with each quadrant representing the different concepts of wellness and sick care:

Wellness and Prevention	Clinically Negative; Molecularly Negative (Upper Green Quadrant)	Individual is healthy with no genetic risks or clinical symptoms.
	Clinically Negative; Molecularly Positive (Upper Yellow Quadrant)	Individual has genetic variations that may cause susceptibility to diseases but show no clinical symptoms.
Sickcare and Therapeutics	Clinically Positive; Molecularly Negative (Lower Yellow Quadrant)	Individual has no genetic risk for getting diseases but has clinical manifestation of disease. The illness may be acquired as a result of unhealthy lifestyle habits and environment.
	Clinically Positive; Molecularly Positive (Lower Red Quadrant)	Individual is sick (both genetically and clinical disease is manifested and will require treatment )

In Wellness, we strive to keep you healthy and disease free. Genes contains DNA which is the code for our body and its functions. Our genes hold all these information which could help you identify mutations or variations that may predispose you to getting certain diseases. By understanding our genes we will be able to prevent or delay the onset of diseases as well as learn to manage our health better. Wellness is an important part of medicine and should redefine future healthcare.

With the INFOVALLEY Wellness Quadrant (IWQ™), INFOVALLEY aims to drive the realization of wellness potential by transforming “sickcare” to true healthcare.

By Dr Oliver Chew & Dr Premalatha, 

Clinical Research Scientists

Drinking A Lot of Tea Could Increase Your Prostate Cancer Risk

There’s nothing like a nice hot cup of tea in the morning or in the evening or actually any time of day you may fancy one! While this may be true, drinking too much of can be harmful. A recent study from the University of Glasgow, Scotland has shown that men who are heavy tea drinkers may be at a higher risk for prostate cancer. Of course, researchers pointed out that heavy tea drinking cannot be deemed as a cause for prostate cancer but can be merely attributed to increasing the risk of prostate cancer.

Dr. Kashif Shafique from the Institute of Health & Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow told the press, “We don't know whether tea itself is a risk factor or if tea drinkers are generally healthier and live to an older age when prostate cancer is more common anyway.”

Interestingly enough, previous research has shown no significant relationship between prostate cancer and black tea while some amount of preventive effect has been shown by drinking green tea.

Published in the Journal of Nutrition and Cancer on June 14th 2012, analysis was made on data covering 6016 Scottish men aged between 21 and 75 years who were enrolled on the Midspan Collaborative study between 1970 and 1973 and they were followed up for the next 37 years.

The men had filled in questionnaires about their general health, smoking habits and their usual consumption of tea, coffee and alcohol and also underwent a screening exam.

On analysing the data, the researchers found a statistically significant link (P= 0.02) between tea drinking and overall risk of developing prostate cancer.

It has been found that men who drank the most tea (i.e. more than seven cups a day) were at a 50% higher risk than those who drank 0-3 cups per day.

Overall it was found that 6.4% of men who drank the most tea developed prostate cancer during the study period as compares to 4.6% of men who drank the least tea.

No link was found between tea drinking and low/high grade cancer incidence. Whether the cancer is more aggressive or not could not be correlated.

It was also found that heavy tea drinkers were more likely not to be overweight, non-alcoholic drinkers and have healthy cholesterol levels. In light of this, these differences were adjusted in the analysis however, the end result conveyed the same message - that those who drank more tea were at a greater risk of prostate cancer.

FUN FACT: After water, tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world.

However, the biggest limitation to this study was that the researchers did not take into consideration family history or any other dietary elements other than tea, coffee and alcohol intake. Therefore it is unclear if there are other factors which have increased the risk of prostate cancer in these heavy tea drinking men.

What comes to mind is the role of genetic factors which was ignored in this research exercise. As we all know genetic factors play an important role in cancer and at an average 10% of cancers are due to genetic factors. More specifically for prostate cancer, the proportion of risk in the genes is as high as 42%.

While increased prostate cancer risk in men may indeed be linked to heavy tea drinking as shown in this study, there are genetic components which cannot be ignored in order to be able to get the best clinical recommendation on lifestyle changes, nutrition, diet & overall wellness.

The MSS (Molecular Screening Service) Can 12 test by INFOVALLEY aims to provide light on this otherwise ignored genetic aspect for calculating the risk for predisposition to 12 types of cancer.
 
The bottom-line is, get yourself tested for any cancer predisposition and enjoy that deliciously smelling hot cup of tea responsibly. 

References:

Infovalley. (2012). MSS Can 12. Available: http://infovalley.net.my/~infovall/infohaem%C2%AE-mss-can12%E2%84%A2. Last accessed 24/6/2012. 

Navigenics. (2012). Prostate Cancer. Available: http://www.navigenics.com/visitor/what_we_offer/conditions_we_cover/prostate_cancer/. Last accessed 24 June 2012.

"Tea Consumption and the Risk of Overall and Grade Specific Prostate Cancer: A Large Prospective Cohort Study of Scottish Men"; Kashif Shafique, Philip McLoone, Khaver Qureshi, Hing Leung, Carole Hart & David S. Morrison; Nutrition and Cancer published online 14 June 2012

 
By Utprabh Mohan, Marketing Executive

Male and Proud of It

I am a male (biologically 22 + XY chromosomes) and I am a Man, am proud of it, especially I am proud of being a Father, a Dad to my daughter & son. I should not sound like a male chauvinist. It is high time that we males behave like men and we let the females be women in our everyday lives.

Biologically there are two schools of thoughts, physically man is considered stronger, the bones are bigger, longer, heavier, stronger, but genetically we always speak of Female being the stronger species as 22+XX has two copies of the X chromosome compared to one copy in us, males. Due to this there are host of diseases which are specific to males, all the X linked diseases, usually manifest in males and do not express in females, as they have a backup copy of genes.

In spite of all this science stuff, I enjoy being a male, we get to be Dads, & that is the best part of life: when I run around at my home, throwing pillows, things along with my daughter and son, my wife shouts at me, saying that I am making a mess in the house, I tell her, “we are raising kids, not making houses”.

When a baby is born, a man becomes a father. The woman becomes a mother of course, but at least for her it's an organic process. Within her body and soul, she has nine long months to get used to being a Mother. But for even the best-prepared father, it happens all at once. 

Like me, I was inside the Labour room of the military hospital twelve years ago with my wife, when my senior colleague Gynecologist delivered my daughter and the nurse handed over to me a bundle of joy, a soul throbbing with life, my daughter just born entering life with blinking eyes, that’s how I saw her for the first time and I realized I was a Dad.

This year’s Father’s Day, (on 17th June), I traveled back from Kuala Lumpur to Bangalore, & was expecting to see my kids at the airport, they were not there. The moment I entered the house, it was dark & suddenly there was light, lit candles on a cake, with my kids chanting, ‘Happy Father’s Day’, came running to hug me!! There were handmade cards with wordings to say that they are proud to have me as their Dad, they had got delicacies that I love, simply awesome.

Henry James once defined life as that predicament which precedes death, and certainly nobody owes you a debt of honor or gratitude for getting him into that predicament.  But a child does owe his father a debt, if Dad, having gotten him into this peck of trouble, takes off his coat and buckles down to the job of showing his son how best to crash through it-this was said by Clarence Budington Kelland.

To quote from the book The Bonfire of the Vanities  by Tom Wolfe, “ Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later... that the man before him was not an aging father but a boy, a boy much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could, out of a sense of duty and, perhaps love, adopted a role called Being a Father so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life”.

To pen off, I am a Male and as a Dad the greatest gift I want to give my kids is “to believe them fully, love them unconditionally (& of course the female who is their Mother!!), and be a role model for them to see & learn rather than be preaching them”.

By Dr. Pramod G. Bagali, Chief Medical Officer

The Most Selfless Person Is Mom

BOC For All Moms

The most selfless person is Mom,
She nourished you in her womb,
She gave you this world, a home
She fed you and protected you

                                          Now it is time you give back to her
                                          You are big, capable and on your own,
                                          What more a better way than
                                          Gifting her a BOC Test (*)

She may not know the significance of it,
But you are there to explain, educate
Breast, Ovarian and Cervical cancer,
Can strike any woman, regardless of color, creed or age

                                                Let it not be your mother.
                                                She is an angel. Protect her.
                                                Screen her and give her the
                                                Today and tomorrow, she truly deserves.

BOC is a women`s test
Which is the best
For cancer screening
Because Life has a meaning.
*----available at INFOVALLEY

by Dr Livy, Head of Molecular Research Lab

Breastfeeding Against Breast, Uterine and Ovarian Cancers

The greatest health benefit of having a baby is a decrease in the risk of several types of cancer. During pregnancy, breast cells undergo tremendous changes, causing them to become fully matured and prepared for breastfeeding the baby after the birth1. Hormonal changes in both pregnant and lactating (breast-fed) woman are thought to help prevent breast cancer. Estrogen levels drop at some point during pregnancy and breastfeeding as the monthly menses impede and shift the hormone balance toward progesterone.

Estrogen and progesterone, closely interrelated hormones, work in synergy in female body. Estrogen however promotes the proliferation of cells in the breast and uterus. Proliferation of normal cells with exposure to estrogen creates a vulnerability to spontaneous mutations, some of which might represent the first step of cancer pathway. It is thought that the less estrogen is available to stimulate the lining of the uterus and breast tissue, the less are the risks of these tissues becoming cancerous2.

The frequency of ovulation has been associated with ovarian cancer risk. Some experts believe that women who ovulate less often have a decreased risk of ovarian cancer. Women who are breastfeeding ovulate do not ovulate as often as never breastfeeding women. Thus breastfeeding is a potentially modifiable protective risk factor for breast, uterine and ovarian cancers3-5.

Choosing whether to breastfeed or formula feed your baby is one of major decisions expectant parents will make and the decision can be a very personal one. Women who chose to breastfeed her child have to be mentally prepared as it can be time-consuming and physically challenging for both sides. Breastfeeding is the natural way to feed your baby and the benefits are incalculable. It can impact the present and future health of you and your baby in the long run.

References:
1.    Riordan J AK. Breastfeeding and Human Lactation. 2nd edition ed: Jones and Bartlett.
2.    (Accessed 24 May, 2012, at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understandingcancer/estrogenreceptors/page1.)
3.    Lipworth L, Bailey LR, Trichopoulos D. History of breast-feeding in relation to breast cancer risk: a review of the epidemiologic literature. J Natl Cancer Inst 2000;92:302-12.
4.    Danforth K, Tworoger S, Hecht J, Rosner B, Colditz G, Hankinson S. Breastfeeding and risk of ovarian cancer in two prospective cohorts. Cancer Causes and Control 2007;18:517-23.
5.    Cramer DW. The epidemiology of endometrial and ovarian cancer. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 2012;26:1-12.

by Nurul Hanis Ramzi, Research Scientist

Wellness instead of Health

They say - Health is Wealth, but in reality Wellness is what you want to be rich with.
If Health is your Bank account then Wellness is the Bank itself.
 
Wellness is a Concept:
Every person must take personal responsibility for his or her own state of Health.
 
Wellness is a Preventive Plan:
Every person must make an effort to recognize conditions, situations and practices that may be threatening or may have the potential to be detrimental to his or her own health. Moreover, you must take steps to change or eliminate these process in order to live a healthier, wealthier and longer life.

Wellness involves taking an active role in being healthy:
It’s as simple as adopting practices that enhance health such as-
•    A low-fat, high-fiber based diet
•    Exercise
•    Maintaining a good work-life balance
•    Having a positive mental & spiritual attitude
Wellness also includes reducing health risks and also eliminating practices that can add stressful dangers to your lifestyle.

Wellness takes into consideration more than just our state of physical health:
How do you define wellness? Look at the figure below-

A wellness-orientated person will always strive to achieve a healthy balance between the three- Body, Mind & Spirit.

To look at it in a different perspective, let’s compare the wellness model to an iceberg. As we all know, 90% of an iceberg remains below the surface of water while only a measly 10% is visible. 
Look at the figure below and you will see that your state of health only makes up 10% of overall wellness.

Of course, wellness goes beyond physical manifestations. Look into your genetic component and then the scenario changes. Life suddenly becomes fair and unfair. However, regardless of what your genes tell you one thing is for sure, use the wellness model in your life and the glass will start looking half full rather than half empty.

by Utprabh Mohan, Marketing Executive

Are You Healthy, Genetically?

Have you encountered such question before?

Traditionally we define a person as healthy when the person does not exhibit any clinical symptoms of disease(s). There are enormous diagnostics testing methodologies based on molecular biology, biochemical or radiological imaging approach, which cater for detection of clinical symptoms of the diseases.

Nevertheless, there are many silent diseases such as cancers and Cardiovascular diseases, whereby the prominent symptoms usually appear during the later stage of disease. Such diseases do not discriminate, even to the low-risk group, e.g. individuals with healthy lifestyles and those in the younger age groups with negligible symptoms.

 

Why would such cases occur? It’s because of genetics.

Post of Human genome project, many genes were found to be associated with the pathogenesis molecular pathway. The consequent genotype and phenotype profile have been shown to correlate with clinical symptoms that predispose to the manifestation of the diseases. This means, a person’s health status is not defined by clinical risk factors alone, but genetic risk factors as well, which can be inherited from one’s parent in a form of genetic mutation and polymorphisms.

Genetic testing services had emerged over the past few years, claiming to offer predictive screening of inheritable and potent diseases. However, most of the existing genetic testing services are based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing, which appeared to be monogenic assessment.

In INFOVALLEY®, we had identified and compiled a portfolio that captured the multi-factorial characterization (both clinically and molecularly) with the associated diseases. The interdependent relationship of the clinical characteristics and diseases are derived from the common molecular pathways, which cascade and eventually lead to the manifestation of the diseases. Based on this proposition and the leveraging of DNA microarray technology, INFOHaem™ Molecular Screening offers genetic predisposition screening services with two screening packages: INFOHaem Can12TM screens for cancer predisposition in healthy subjects for 12 type of cancers; and INFOHaem FH1536TM screens for subjects at risk of Hypercholesterolemia and diagnostics of clinically suspected Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients.

INFOHaem™ Molecular Screening enables establishment of subject risk profile, which incorporates the clinical risk factors to provide comprehensive assessment, apart from genetic risk profiling. Most importantly, the screening platform has been validated by extensive clinical studies with various public hospitals and universities in Malaysia prior to the launch in 2011. Apart from that, INFOVALLEY’s research findings of a novel LDLR gene mutation among the Asian population has been recognized by British Heart Foundation and included in the UCL LDLR (low-density lipoprotein receptor gene) variant database. Moving forward, additional disease screening will be included into the product portfolio with progressive R&D efforts.

So coming back to the question, Are You Healthy, Genetically?

Undergo INFOHaem™ Molecular Screening today and you will know the answer!

INFOHaem™ Molecular Screening was recognized by Frost and Sullivan’s Malaysian Excellence Award 2012, as best product Innovation. For more information, kindly refer to www.infovalley.net.my.

by Susan Ong, Product Portfolio Manager