Should you take a genetic test for breast cancer?

Monday, May 1, 2023

In today’s newsletter, we consider a new breast cancer test, experiment with genetically engineered chestnut trees, explore history’s gory mummy-eating fad … and discover 2,500 year-old canals.

PHOTOGRAPH BY AKOS STILLER, THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX

If a test could tell you if you have a genetic propensity for breast cancer, would you take it? Should you?

These aren’t easy questions. Genetic mutations are behind only 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers—and tests may not pick up if breast cancer simply runs in the family. That said, if a person has breast cancer, a genetic test could help inform treatment. For those concerned about getting breast cancer, a positive result might give you a head start on preventative measures, as simple as exercise or invasive as mastectomies.

Here’s what you should know. (Pictured above, possible anomalies in a breast cancer screen).

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PHOTOGRAPH BY DUŠAN MARTINČEK, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FOR DISNEY

How the world met Anne Frank: The Jewish family needed a place to hide from the Nazis. Miep Gies shielded and sheltered them. An informer led Nazis to the hiding spot, but Gies managed to save a red-checked notebook, Anne Frank’s diary, which would become the world’s most famous Holocaust account, Nat Geo reports. (Above a scene from a new TV miniseries on Gies and the Franks.)

Tune in: A Small Light premieres on National Geographic today and begins streaming on Disney+ tomorrow. See the trailer.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID GUTTENFELDER

Old town road: Tokyo today is Japan’s energetic urban heart—vibrant, creative, alive. Its culture bounced back from a history of war and natural disaster, but another challenge looms: Deaths outnumber births, and the current population is rapidly aging. (Above, young families enjoy a day in Yoyogi Park.)

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WHAT IN THE WORLD?

PHOTOGRAPH BY AMY TOENSING

We may have to ‘play God’: A deadly fungus—accidentally imported in the late 19th century—killed 4 billion chestnut trees across the U.S., about one-fourth of the hardwood trees growing in Appalachia. Now, scientists are experimenting with genetically engineered blight-resistant trees to help make a comeback. (Above, a lab worker separates a chestnut from its burrs.)

CHESTNUTS FOREVER?

Today’s soundtrack: Black Horse and the Cherry Tree, KT Turnstall

Thanks for reading today’s newsletter! It was curated and edited by Mallory Benedict, Jen Tse, Hannah Farrow, and David Beard. Want to let us know your thoughts? Send away: david.beard@natgeo.com. Happy trails!

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Should you take a genetic test for breast cancer?

Should you take a genetic test for breast cancer?

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