This test package examines your risk of developing cancers and heart disease, looking at 60 specific genes and a combination of small changes in your DNA to identify your risk of developing 8 different cancers and 4 cardiac diseases.
It is a comprehensive package of genetic tests that can give you a more complete understanding of your genes and health, particularly if you have a personal or family history of any of the conditions covered.
All of us have a 1 in 2 lifetime risk of cancer, but some common cancers – breast, melanoma, pancreatic, prostate and ovarian – are known to occur more frequently in families, passing from one generation to the next.
This is because certain gene mutations can be inherited. Perhaps the most commonly talked about are the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes, where mutations can indicate increased risk of developing breast, melanoma, pancreatic, prostate and ovarian cancers.
This package provides you with three tests that will check different elements of your genetic make up to identify your risk of developing cancers and cardiac diseases.
Polygenic Risk test
Focusing specifically on cancers relevant to your gender this test will check over 3,000 tiny changes in your DNA which, when combined, can make you more susceptible genetically to developing cancer. It will provide an easy to understand score, called a Polygenic Risk Score, which will tell you whether those genetic changes have made you more susceptible to cancers, and what your likelihood is of developing those cancers in the next 10 years, compared to the rest of the population.
This test will check risk of Breast, Colorectal and Skin cancer in women, and Prostate, Colorectal and Skin cancer in men.
Full Gene test – Cancers
This 30 gene Cancer test examines your BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes, plus an additional 28 full genes which are specifically recognised as being linked to increased risk of various cancers if mutated. The test will look at the 30 full genes, identifying any mutations or changes that may make you more likely to develop cancer.
This test will check for risk of cancers including breast, skin, pancreas, prostate, ovaries, womb, colorectal and stomach.
Full Gene test – Cardiac Disease
This Cardiac test examines 30 specific full genes that are specifically recognised as being linked to increased risk of inherited cardiac diseases if mutated. The test will look at the 30 genes, identifying any mutations or changes that may make you more likely to develop cardiac diseases that can lead to stroke, heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest at any age.
This test will check for risk of cardiac diseases including cardiomyopathies, arrhythmias, arteriopathies and familial hypercholesterolemia.
Why take this test package?
Knowing you have a genetic mutation enables you to make sure you have regular check-ups and screenings for conditions such as cancer or heart disease. It also helps you to make decisions about your lifestyle that may impact your health.
This test can also help your clinician understand how your body processes certain medications so that they can prescribe the most effective course of treatment for you.
Many mutations are known to be hereditary: if you have a mutation, there is a 50% chance that your brothers and sisters – and your children will have it too.
How does this test work?
After you have paid for your test package, we will register you with the laboratory and you will receive an email with a link to complete an online form to provide medical information about yourself and any known family history of cancer.
You’ll then receive two kits in the post with clear instructions on giving your saliva samples together with all the paperwork you need to sign, which you then post back to us for analysis. You only need to provide a spit (saliva) sample in the test tubes provided – no blood is required. We only send you two test kits because that provides enough saliva sample to run the 3 tests.
One sample will be used to check your small, individual genetic changes to identify any possible combination risks for cancer, whilst the other will look at specific full genes to identify changes in those which can cause hereditary cancer and heart diseases.
Your results
Your samples will be sequenced and your genes analysed. Your reports will be generated and emailed to you approximately 3-4 weeks after receipt of your kits in the laboratory.
Polygenic Risk Test
This test will provide you with your individual risk score of cancer compared to the rest of the population.
It will also provide you with a score showing the likelihood of developing the specific cancers test for, in the next 10 years.
Finally, it will include a risk assessment for the cancers compared to a man or woman of your age with average genetic risk.
Full Gene Test – Positive results
A positive result does NOT mean you have cancer or heart disease, or that you will definitely develop it.
It does means that a mutation, or genetic change, has been identified in a specific gene that increases the chance of your developing certain cancers or heart diseases in your lifetime – and your personal results will provide more detailed information specific to you.
There may also be implications for other members of your family – and this will also be discussed with you.
Full Gene Test – Negative results
A negative result means that no mutations or genetic changes associated with an increased risk of the most common hereditary cancers and heart diseases were identified in the genes that were analysed.
The result does not eliminate your risk of developing cancer and cardiac disease completely as there are other factors, such as lifestyle, or perhaps mutations not detected by current technology or mutations in other genes.
Again, all this will be discussed with you.
Full Gene Test – Variant of uncertain significance
This is where a gene mutation has been found, but at present we do not know if this affects your risk of certain cancers or heart disease.
Our scientists use state-of-the-art techniques to classify variants according to American College of Genetics and Genomics guidelines.
All clinically actionable variants (i.e. factors like pathogenic and likely pathogenic – in other words able to, or likely to cause a disease/condition) are confirmed using an alternative technology.
We understand that this can sound complex, so if your results show you have an actionable variant, this will be explained to you.
Will it show if I have cancer or cardiac disease now?
Your results will not tell you whether you already have cancer or cardiac disease, or whether you will definitely develop them, but will help identify whether you should take additional measures to prevent cancer and heart disease in the future.
If you are experiencing any symptoms that could indicate that you have cancer or cardiac disease, we recommend speaking to your GP as soon as possible.
