A PRIVATE hospital in Worcester has opened a new genetic clinic for genetic counselling and testing following an increase in demand by women wanting the service in the wake of news about Angelina Jolie opting for preventative breast cancer surgery.

Spires South Bank and GeneHealth UK has opened the new clinic which will enable patients to be tested and assess their risks while exploring the option of protective interventions if necessary.

According to the NHS, cancer is not usually inherited, but some types – mainly breast, ovarian, colorectal and prostate cancer – can be strongly influenced by genes and can run in families.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are two examples of genes that raise the cancer risk if they become altered. Having a variant BRCA gene greatly increases a woman's chance of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

This was the reason Angelina Jolie had preventative breast cancer surgery, followed by ovarian cancer surgery. They also increase a man's chance of developing male breast cancer and prostate cancer.

BRCA genes are not the only cancer risk genes. Researchers recently identified more than 100 new gene variants associated with an increased risk of breast, prostate and ovarian cancer. Individually, these new gene variants only slightly increase the risk of cancer, but a combination could mean a high risk overall.

According to Spires, carriers of BRCA 1 and 2 genes have up to 85 per cent lifetime risk of breast cancer. The BRCA 1 and 2 genes can be identified with a blood test that looks at the client’s DNA.

As BRCA 1 and 2 carriers have a significantly increased risk of breast cancer, some women (like Angelina Jolie) may decide to have a risk reducing double mastectomy. This can reduce the risk of breast cancer to approximately 5 per cent over a lifetime. It can take four to six weeks to get the gene test result.

In addition to the comprehensive BRCA 1 and 2 gene test, Spire South Bank Hospital will also provide a special test for Ashkenazi Jewish individuals who have a higher risk of having a BRCA mutation (2.5 per cent compared to 0.2 per cent in the non-Jewish population).

This test looks for three common mutations, which are found in specific locations in the BRCA genes. This is a faster test to run, with results normally available within two weeks.

Carriers of BRCA 1 and 2 mutations have a significantly increased risk of breast cancer and therefore frequently make screening and treatment decisions on the basis of their genetic test results.

Patients have a consultation before and after the test with a genetic counsellor who explains the pros and cons of BRCA testing, personal risk and what options are available, depending on the test result.

After the test there is another consultation, which will explain the test results and support the patient in making an informed decision.

GeneHealth UK also offers BowelGene, BreastGene and ProstateGene, which are cancer panel tests. These tests sit on the NGS platform and analyse multiple genes simultaneously, full details are available at its website www.GeneHealthUK.com.

In light of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, GeneHealth UK also offers a chemoprevention service. For those clients at moderate or high risk of breast cancer, an experienced genetic counsellor will provide a detailed risk assessment and one-hour consultation explaining the risks and benefits of chemoprevention.

Mrs Lucy Burgess, Genetic Counsellor, GeneHealth UK said: “The opening of the Genetic Counselling and Testing Clinic at Spire South Bank is a really positive move at exactly the right time.

“The understanding of genetic testing is increasing rapidly among scientists, clinicians and the population in general but very few clinics offer both the face-to-face counselling and state-of-the-art gene testing.

“Excitingly, next generation sequencing now offers us the opportunity to analyse multiple genes at once and promises to be the future of genetics.”

Mr Steven Thrush, consultant breast surgeon, added: “This service is a welcome addition to the breast service provided by Spire at South Bank. The ability to be tested and assess a person’s risk allows protective interventions if necessary.”

If there is a strong family history of cancer, these tests can be done on the NHS.

What to do it you are worried:

• Speak to your GP if cancer runs in your family and you're worried you may get it too. They may refer you to a local genetics service for an NHS genetic test, which will tell you if you have inherited one of the cancer risk genes.

• This testing is known as predictive genetic testing and a positive result means you have a greatly increased risk of developing cancer. It doesn't mean you have cancer or are definitely going to develop it.

• You may be eligible for this NHS test if the faulty gene has already been identified in one of your relatives, or if there is a strong family history of cancer in your family.

For more information about predictive testing visit http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/predictive-genetic-tests-cancer/Pages/Introduction.aspx

For information about cancer genes visit:

• The Cancer Research website http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/inherited-cancer-genes-and-increased-cancer-risk/family-history-and-inherited-cancer-genes

• The Macmillan Cancer Support website http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/diagnosing/causes-and-risk-factors/genetic-testing-and-counselling/genetic-testing.html