deCODEme Cardio detects genetic risk factors for heart attack, stroke and atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease (PAD) and several other conditions. deCODEme Cancer measures genetic risk factors for prostate, lung, bladder, skin and colorectal cancers, as well as the common form of breast cancer.
According to deCODE, the scans – deCODEme Cardio and deCODEme Cancer – are based on assays custom designed by its scientists to detect the single-letter genetic variations (called SNPs) with the biggest impact on disease risk.
deCODEme Cardio measures eight SNPs associated with the risk of heart attack, intracranical and abdominal aortic aneurysm, stroke and atrial fibrillation, PAD and venous thromboempolism. deCODEme Cancer measures 29 SNPs associated with risk of prostate, lung, bladder and colorectal cancers, as well as basal cell carcinoma and the common form of breast cancer.
Based upon which versions of these SNPs they carry, subscribers will receive a secure online profile presenting their results. Results are presented both in terms of relative risk compared to the general population, as well as absolute lifetime risk, which is the percentage likelihood that an individual will develop a disease in their lifetime, which is their relative risk multiplied by the average lifetime risk in the population.
According to the company, the results also explain what other risk factors interact with genetic risk to increase or decrease the likelihood of developing a given disease, as well as how subscribers may wish to follow up with their doctor to optimize the prevention or early detection of these diseases.
Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE genetics, said: In an age when we are encouraged to take more responsibility for our health, we believe that we should all be able to use understanding of our genome to do stay healthy. deCODEme opened the era of the personal genome scan, and deCODEme Cardio and deCODEme Cancer offer individuals who wish to better understand their risk of particular diseases a focused means of doing so.