Why Should We Automatically Reanalyze Genetics Test Results?
The findings:
The human genome contains approximately 20,000 genes, and exome analysis focuses on about 7,000 genes known in medical literature to be clinically associated with a disease. Currently, up to 70 percent of exome test reports are negative or inconclusive. But suppose at a later date a researcher discovers a gene that could be causative of the disease?
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia researchers led by Avni Santani, PhD, associate professor of Clinical Pathology, developed a useful tool for automated reanalysis that facilitates efficient reevaluation of nondiagnostic clinical exome sequencing (CES) samples using up-to-date literature published after the initial exome analysis was performed. They demonstrated this methodology enabled identification of novel diagnostic findings in almost 16 percent of previously nondiagnostic samples.