NHS cancer gene database will let families check inherited risk

NHS England is creating a national register that will compare patients' genetic information against a list of 120 genes linked to increased cancer risk, and people identified as higher risk will be offered routine screening and tailored information.

The NHS is building a national register of genes linked to inherited cancer risk so patients and their families can check whether they carry higher-risk variants. The register will use a list of 120 genes, NHS England said, and forms part of a 10-year plan to improve prevention and treatment of cancer. Officials said the register will bring together tests already offered on the NHS into a single, confidential record and allow clinicians to contact people for screening or, in some cases, preventative treatment. A previous Lynch syndrome database led to more than 12,000 people being offered routine preventative screening. Key facts: - The register will compare patient genetic information against a world-first list of 120 genes linked to higher cancer risk, according to NHS England. - Tens of thousands of patients and people with a family history of cancer already receive genetic testing on the NHS each year; those identified as higher risk will be added to the register. - People on the register will be offered routine check-ups and screening for some cancers, including breast and prostate, and may be given tailored information about testing and treatment options. - NHS leaders describe the database as part of a decade-long plan to improve cancer prevention and treatment and say the register will be confidential and allow clinicians to offer new tests and treatments as they are rolled out. - The register follows the Lynch syndrome database, which the NHS says resulted in more than 12,000 people being offered routine preventative screening; a patient case described improved access to treatment after a Lynch syndrome diagnosis. Summary: The register is intended to centralise genetic risk information to enable earlier screening and more personalised care for people with inherited risk. Undetermined at this time.