Colon Cancer gene in America traced back to Pilgrims

Telegraph.uk.co link



Well this was surprising. I didn't expect this trait going back to the Pilgrims. Share your thoughts please.

[edit on 6-1-2008 by harddrive21]

[edit on 6-1-2008 by harddrive21]

My thoughts are that the title is a wee bit misleading, don't you think?

No one was "American" back then, other than the natives.

reply to post by neformore


Indeed, following the USA's own folklore that gets drummed into them from a Young age, these Pilgrims were the first "Americans".

But now they've got a disease, they're not American, but English instead?

The title should read something like "Colon Cancer Gene Traced to Pilgrims"

EDIT:

This is interesting:

Dr Ian Tomlinson, Molecular and Population Genetics Laboratory, London Research Institute, Cancer Research UK has not observed this specific mutation in English patients today, suggesting that the couple that immigrated to America around 1630 were indeed the founders of the genetic change and that, if any British relatives had the mutation it may have helped to extinguish that line.

Just goes to show that all that colonisation was a good thing. At least for the UK anyway! All the undesirable types went to the colonies.

[edit on 6/1/08 by stumason]

That is a good point. It is the title of the article. I will make an 'edit'.
But yes, it had to start somewhere. I am amazed though that they were able to track the mutation back that far. I do not think it explains alot of the colon and bowel cancer in this country though. Poor diet, no exercise and food additives are more likely at fault.
No disrespect was meant to my fine British friends. I do apologize.

reply to post by harddrive21


None taken, it was the Telegraphs fault about the article.

Thing is, back in the 1600's, no one lived very long anyway, so perhaps this gene could have been knocking around for a while before it began manifesting.

It apparently increases the risk of colon cancer to above 66% by the age of 80, apparently.

Thanks Stumason. There are a few diseases in history like Huntington's Disease (a horrible neurologic disease that does not show until the person is over 40) that do not appear until later in life. And yes, since most women died in childbirth and most men had heart attacks in the fields, this may ever have shown up. And as far as this trait goes, it has a huge increase over 80, but I'll be willing to bet there has been enough genetic drift since then that it may appear earlier in some direct descendants. But couple that increase with the other risk factors like high BMI, fatty diets and maybe it changes also.

Originally posted by harddrive21
No disrespect was meant to my fine British friends. I do apologize.

None taken I blame the source article.

Its a hell of a piece of medial genealogy, I'll say that. I wonder if - as its possible to trace this back - there may be a genetic "switch" that can be turned off to prevent the cancer occuring?

reply to post by neformore


I am curious if anyone would even look for a genetic switch. As Chris Rock says "The money's in the medicine." A switch that would have a cure would mean a cure. Yes there are other things that are involved, maybe other genes or outside influences, but I feel like that brilliant idea would not be investigated.