NHS gene testing misses half of people carrying cancer mutation, study warns

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The team, from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London, said their findings present “a strong case” for the NHS to give more patients access to gene testing.

Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive of the ICR, said: “Over ve the last 20 years, we have gained a far greater understanding of the inherited genetic changes which can increase a person’s risk of cancer.

“That increasingly opens up the possibility of genetic testing to identify those people at the highest cancer risk, and to support them with strategies for cancer prevention or early detection.

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“Unfortunately, accessing genetic testing on the NHS can be complicated and tends to be restricted to those people with a strong family history.”

Prof Helin added: “Our new research shows that we are missing people who could benefit from genetic testing.”

The study, which looked at patients who were privately tested, found about half – seven out of 15 – of those found to carry a harmful or probably harmful variant would not have been eligible under NHS guidelines.

The study, has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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