07-16-2008
UK new services for people with family history of cancer
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A new £1.5 million programme to provide testing, care and support for people who may be at risk of inherited cancer was launched today.
This follows on from a key aim of the recently published White Paper ‘Our inheritance, our future - realising the potential of genetics in the NHS’to ensure NHS patients benefit from the most up-to-date genetic knowledge and technologies.
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A small proportion of breast, ovarian and bowel cancers are associated with particular inherited genes.
Testing for these genes can identify whether someone with a strong family history of the disease is likely to develop it.
The Department of Health (UK) and Macmillian Cancer Relief are funding a programme of pilot projects which will identify patients at risk and provide them with appropriate advice, support and care.
The programme will run in four areas. In each area GPs, local cancer experts and specialised genetic cancer services will work together to ensure patients who are concerned about their family history of cancer are properly assessed and receive future care which is appropriate to their level of risk.
For many patients the outcome of their assessment will be simple reassurance and counselling that no further intervention is needed. For others it will involve genetic testing to more accurately guage their level of risk and advice and support around prevention and treatment options.
We know that patients from ethnic minorities and more deprived areas are under-represented in referrals to familial cancer services, and some of the projects look specifically at how access can be improved. The programme is being piloted in the following areas:
- South West London Cancer Network and joint cancer centres. Two nurse counsellors will be employed to establish outreach clinics and a telephone-based assessment services which will target specific ethnic and socio-economic groups
- Yorkshire Regional Genetics Service, North Kirklees PCT and Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust. A GP, practice nurse and breast care nurse will be trained to run family history clinics in areas with high proportions of ethnic minorities and high levels of social deprivation
- Cancer Care Alliance (South Durham, Teeside and North Yorkshire) will set up an outreach team to assess patients’ risk of familial cancer and then refer patients into the appropriate part of the service
- South East London Cancer Network, Lambeth and Southwark PCTs and specialist cancer services at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital and Guy’s Regional Genetics Centre will run a public awareness campaign about familial cancer and encourage those who are worried about their risk of familial cancer to refer themselves to a new local family history clinic.
Health Minister Lord Warner said:
‘The Genetics White Paper set out our vision that the NHS should take maximum advantage of the application of the new genetic knowledge and technologies. This programme is turning that vision into a reality.
‘By working closely with Macmillan Cancer Relief, service users and leading experts in cancer and genetics we will explore better ways of providing access to services for hereditary cancer to NHS patients who could benefit. The experiences and results of these pilots will be used to develop future cancer genetics services in England.’
Notes to editor
1. ‘Our Inheritance, Our Future - Realising the potential of genetics in the NHS’ is available on the Department of Health website.
2. Macmillan Cancer Relief is a UK charity providing the expert care and practical and emotional support which is changing the lives of people living with cancer today.
3. Media enquiries please contact the Media Centre.
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