DIAGNOSTIC PROGRAM: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTHSCANNING THROUGH ADVANCED LAB TESTING

This testing program is designed by Dr. Roberta Kline exclusively for BARDDIAGNOSTCS and its patients.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH TESTING PROGRAM
When it comes to toxic exposures, health hazards exist in lesser or greater quantity - especially in the more dangerous jobs (ie. firefighting, construction, engine work etc). For the many Americans who dedicated an extended period of their careers to potentially toxic exposures, this comprehensive clinical testing program offers direct insight into their genetic predispositions for potentially adverse responses to occupational exposures.  The selected testing also identifies predisposition to common cancers, chronic diseases, and other health issues.  

Along with their DNA predisposition profiles, the client also receives personalized guidance about how this gathered information applies to their actual healthcare approach, and proactive strategies they can take to mitigate the impact on their health. 

PHASE 1: GENETIC PREDISPOSITION 

The first phase of this program establishes a client's actual genetic blueprint rendering the foundation of a personalized approach to minimizing exposure risks and optimizing health. 

1) GENETIC TESTING: Genetic testing and interpretation of inherited mutations for common cancers (including breast, prostate, pancreatic, ovarian, colorectal, stomach, and melanoma) and cardiovascular disease.  

2) NUTRITIONAL GENOMICS TESTING: Genomic testing and interpretation of SNPs in many systems underlying health, including the processing of environmental toxins, nutrition, sleep, heart disease, brain health, mood, diabetes, inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial health, hormones, cancers, exercise and injury, bone density.   

3) PHARMACOGENOMIC TESTING: Genomic testing and interpretation of SNPs in genes associated with medication response, including adverse reactions and effectiveness.  

PHASE 2: BIOLOGICAL & HEALTH IMPACT 

The next segment of this program assesses the impact of toxin exposures as they interact with genetic predisposition and affecting the biological systems that support health. Each client also receives personalized guidance and strategies for addressing any ongoing exposures and improving biological functioning and health. 

1. 1) TOXIN TESTING: Specialized testing to assess current levels of a wide variety of toxins encountered in the workplace and home environments, with personalized strategies for supporting your internal detoxification systems to reduce their levels and impact. 

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2. 2) EPIGENETIC TESTING: Epigenetic testing and interpretation to assess how environmental exposures, diet, and lifestyle are interacting with your genetic predispositions, impacting real-time gene expression and health risks including how fast your cells are aging, general cancer and disease risks, immune health, smoking and alcohol exposures. 

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3. 3) FUNCTIONAL LAB TESTING: Additional specialized lab tests to assess areas identified as potential targets of toxins, directly or indirectly. Personalized to each client, these can include assessments of hormones, mitochondria, oxidative stress, microbiome, stress, sleep and more. 

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Monday, May 13, 2024

INSIDE GENETIC PREDISPOSITION

PART 1: MUTAGEN HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CANCER EXPOSURES

By: Lennard M. Gettz, Ed.D  /  Edited by: Roberta Kline, MD

First responders of every branch (police, firefighters, paramedics), as well as construction cleanup contractors, were exposed to the many toxic hazards around the World Trade Center (WTC) as a result of the events on 9/11/2001.  For the more than 91,000 individuals involved in this massive response and cleanup effort [1], exposure to the toxicants from dust, smoke, and incendiary chemicals has led to concerns for cancer, diseases, and other health injuries post-exposure.  The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act enacted the World Trade Center Health Program, a federal commitment to offer comprehensive care for 9/11-related conditions. [2]

Numerous environmental contaminants have been shown to have potential carcinogenic (cancer-causing) consequences. [3] Events such as 9/11 are just some of the scenarios that have alerted government agencies, the medical community, and individuals to study the types of common cancers from each scenario.  These exposures also bring new (and heightened) concerns for gene mutations that may be inherited or passed down to the next generations of those directly impacted.

"Learning about how cancer and other illnesses work... I would hate to contract this on the job and give this to my kids", states FDNY Ret. FF Sal Banchitta- 9/11 responder. "Firefighters get a lot of training and gear to protect us from exposure- but let's face it... part of the risk of the job is that there IS no 100% guarantee- ever!  Looking back on all this, from the local house fires of burning plastics and PVC's to the many chemicals and airborne poisons in ground zero-- exposure came from anywhere.  You can only hope that you're not someone who's predisposed, but you never know." 

According to the NCI (National Cancer Institute), up to 10% of all cancers may be caused by inherited genetic changes. Cancer itself (or genetic changes in tumor cells) cannot be inherited by children of cancer patients but a genetic change or mutation that increases the risk of cancer can be passed down (inherited) if it is present in a parent's egg or sperm cells. It is for this reason why cancer may sometimes appear to run in families.  [4]

WTC-RELATED CANCERS: There are now more than 15 cancers specifically associated with exposure to the WTC toxins, with prostate and breast cancer being among the top 3. [5]. Not only do survivors have higher rates of these cancers, but they are often more aggressive. Recent research has demonstrated that DNA mutations and epigenetic changes due to toxin exposures may play a role. [6, 7, 8] 

PART 2: TODAY'S GENETICS

In an exclusive interview about the science of gene expression, genomic specialist Dr. Roberta Kline, professor at the University of Western States, offered clarity on the fundamentals of the human blueprint: what DNA is, what it does, the impact of alterations to DNA on health, and how this is influenced by environmental exposures. 

Genes are specific regions of DNA that contain the code for all of the proteins that run our biology. Gene expression is the ultimate result of this complex process, and gene expression research has greatly accelerated the study of human biology and improved the practice of medicine. Up until the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, much of the focus had been on studying rare mutations linked to specific inherited diseases and cancers. We now know that these alterations of the DNA code are not the only ways people can be predisposed. 

The most common types of changes in DNA are called SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms), and we each have millions of these. These SNPs can alter our biochemistry and biology, but they typically have a much smaller effect individually than mutations. However, the additive effect of multiple SNPs can create significant predispositions to (or protection from) most diseases, including cancer. 

The latest gene expression research has added a third layer called epigenetics. Epigenetic changes don’t affect the DNA or genetic code itself. Rather, they respond to environmental cues to control when genes are turned on or off. Therefore, epigenetic changes can be easily modified throughout a person’s lifetime.

These processes all work together, and all of them can be inherited. Depending on diet, lifestyle, exercise, stress, medications, and environmental exposures, their impact can be increased or decreased. For example, someone with mutations, SNPs, or epigenetic changes that impair their ability to detoxify environmental chemicals can have a higher risk of DNA damage that can lead to disease or cancer. Diet and lifestyle strategies can counteract some of this risk - or can make it worse. This can help explain why not everyone exposed to the same toxins is affected in the same way, and why the same dietary and lifestyle factors can affect people’s health differently.

GENETIC PREDISPOSITION TESTING

With the existence of cancers in the family, physicians may recommend genetic testing.  Inherited mutations account for approximately 10% of all cancers, and these tend to be more aggressive and occur at an earlier age. [8] Genetic mutations have been identified for certain forms of pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, or breast or ovarian cancer.  These tests for cancers such as Breast, Ovarian, and Pancreatic are known to target pathogenic/ly pathogenic (P/LP) variants associated with increased risk (including BRCA1, BRCA2, CDH1, PALB2, PTEN, and TP53, and recommended approaches to genetic counseling/testing and care strategies in individuals with these P/LP variants. [10, 11]

Genetic testing supports proactive prevention initiatives and active surveillance for these specific cancers that continue to prevail. Gene SNP testing can further support personalized prevention and screening strategies. While epigenetics is emerging as another tool in efforts to identify predispositions and personalize strategies, it is still more informative than prognostic at this time.

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HOW TO HANDLE ON-THE-JOB INJURIES AND MINIMIZE HEALTH RISKS

Written by: Robert Bard, MD

Work related injuries take a toll on the employees as well as the company. With reduced productivity and health insurance payments, the company can suffer heavy financial setbacks. This is why most companies have realized the importance of increasing awareness when it comes to the workplace. Injuries at the workplace are more common than ever. Although manual handling is the most common cause of workplace injuries, sedentary jobs may also put employees at risk of Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) and lung issues.

Awareness: When it comes to sedentary jobs, posture and height may be doing most of the damage. Educate employees of the best posture and height of their chair in order to minimize the strain and reduce chances of an injury (Cornelio, 2010).

Policy Creation: The very first thing that employers need to do is create a health and safety policy. This policy should be included and presented to employees along with all other contracts and policies in the workplace. This will let your employees know that safety and health are a primary objective.

Health and Safety Program: The health and safety of employees is the responsibility of the employer. A health and safety program is mandatory for any company employing more than 20 individuals (CDC, n.d.)

Control Hazards: Many hazards may be unavoidable depending on the nature of work and the product being created. Some occupations entail more risks than others. If an employee is putting themselves at risk, then it is the employer’s responsibility to identify all hazards and minimize the risks.

Safety Equipment: Safety equipment may be very little and very large. In sedentary jobs, employers need to worry about the provision of ergonomic chairs and keyboards whereas in manufacturing industries they need to worry about safety helmets, jackets, and other similar equipment.

Document Incidents: Accident history may help identify the problems that caused injuries in the workplace. Small details such as correctly fitting equipment may be the cause of an accident. Once the causes of injury are identified, employers can work towards their rectification (WCB, n.d.)

Training Sessions: Train employees and increase awareness about practices which may help minimize workplace injury. Motivate them to keep safety a personal priority, and encourage them to be on a lookout for safety hazards in the company.

Report Procedure: While avoiding injuries would be ideal, we are not living in a perfect world. Notify employees of the protocol that needs to be followed in case of an injury. Who will the employee report to? Is there an in-house clinic that they have access to? How will the severity of damage be assessed? (WSIB, 2014)

Maintaining a safe and healthy workplace is the responsibility of the employer. Safety should be the primary goal of the company and is not only beneficial for employees but also employers.

Once employees are aware of the hazards that they face and the measures that can be taken to prevent them, they can work towards its minimization. This would mean less days of work as a result of injury and increased employee productivity.

References CDC, n.d. Benefits of Health Promotion Programs. Retrieved from <http://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/businesscase/benefits/ > Cornelio, D., 2010. Preventing Workplace Injuries And Illnesses. Worker Occupational Safety & Health Training and Education Program (WOSHTEP). California, USA. Retrieved from <http://www.dir.ca.gov/chswc/WOSHTEP/Awareness/AwarenessModuleEnglish.pdf> WCB, n.d. Preventing Workplace Injuries. Retrieved from <http://www.wcb.ns.ca/wcbns/index_e.aspx?CategoryID=274> WSIB, 2014. What workers should know...about reporting workplace injuries and illnesses. Retrieved from <http://www.wsib.on.ca/en/community...>