 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 Because so many things can go wrong as a result of sickle cell disease, it can be a difficult disorder to live with and a frustrating one to treat, Earles said.
"What's really frustrating, in my 25 years with this disease, is the more we've learned, the more we know we don't know," Earles said. "We learn things to prevent complications, and then we discover more complications and things we need to learn how to address."
But advances in genetic research have made it easier to predict certain complications. One recent study found genetic markers that could show which sickle cell patients are more likely to suffer a stroke. Other similar studies are ongoing, Edwards said.
Text Continues Below
Edwards is hopeful that as knowledge of human genetics grows, an actual cure will spring forth as researchers better understand the basic building blocks of humanity.
"Relative to other diseases, sickle cell could be the first disease to be wiped out using the information we've learned from the Human Genome Project," Edwards said.
More information
To learn more, visit the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (www.sicklecelldisease.org ).
Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3
|
.gif)
