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FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS

WE ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS

Does having a high risk mean that I will develop the disease or have a complex personal trait?

No, since diseases and complex traits are regulated by both genetic and environmental factors.

Genetic risk measures the impact of the genetic factor on the development of a disease. However, environmental factors ultimately have a strong impact on the development of the disease or trait.

A clear example is the relationship between lung cancer and tobacco use. In this case, a person with a high genetic predisposition to a disease as lung cancer, but with a healthy lifestyle, may not develop the disease. On the other hand, a person with a low genetic predisposition, but who is a smoker and has unhealthy habits, may develop it.