Imagine a world where your doctor can tell you exactly which cancers you are likely to develop from a simple blood

test.  Would you want your employer or life insurance company to know this?  Would you live longer if you know your genetic predisposition to certan cancers and you take lifestyle decisions to reduce the risk?  It might sound like science fiction but the possibility has just got one step closer.

An international study based on blood samples collected from 200,000 people has discovered 60 genetic causes of cancer. Half of these samples came from patients who suffered from breast cancer, ovarian cancer or prostate cancer, while the other half came from healthy people. 

Read more about the study and the results here.  The article is quite readable and would engage students in a debate about the ethical considerations of Genetic Screening at the end of the SL Genetics topic or introduce genetics in the context of cancer at the end of the Cells topic.