1.1.4 Genetic testing of adults

Huntington's disease is a good example of a late-onset disorder because it is fatal, non-treatable, relatively frequent and has a strong genetic element that can be tested for. There are others that fall into a similar category, i.e. mainly relate to a single gene, such as adult polycystic kidney disease. The issues surrounding late-onset multifactorial diseases, such as diabetes and breast cancer, will be dealt with separately. To date, relatively few diseases that fall into both these categories can be tested for, but with increasing knowledge arising from the Human Genome Project, the number of tests available will rapidly increase.