UCSF

Background

Genetic data have the potential to impact patient care significantly. In primary care and in the ICU, patients are undergoing genetic testing. Genetics is also transforming cancer care and undiagnosed diseases. Optimal personalized medicine relies on the understanding of disease penetrance. In this article, I examine the complexity of penetrance.

Methods

In this article, I assess how variable penetrance can be seen with many diseases, including those of different modes of inheritance, and how genomic testing is being applied effectively for many diseases. In this article, I also identify challenges in the field, including the interpretation of gene variants.

Results

Using advancing bioinformatics and detailed phenotypic assessment, we can increase the yield of genomic testing, particularly for highly penetrant conditions. The technologies are useful and applicable to different medical situations.

Conclusions

There are now effective genome diagnostics for many diseases. However, the best personalized application of these data still requires skilled interpretation.