Overview
- The programme will cover about 120 cancer susceptibility genes and is positioned as a core element of the upcoming National Cancer Plan and the NHS 10-year genomics effort.
- Individuals found to have inherited variants, including patients and relatives, will be added to the register and automatically invited to tailored screening and routine tests.
- The register is managed by NHS England’s National Disease Registration Service and links to the Genomic Medicine Service to expedite access to targeted therapies and clinical trials.
- The rollout builds on the Lynch syndrome register, which is credited with preventing an estimated 40–60 bowel cancer cases per 100 people through regular colonoscopy surveillance.
- Officials are preparing targeted prostate screening for men with BRCA variants, subject to National Screening Committee recommendations and ministerial approval.