Hello LorrieSue63 and thanks for posting, 

I am sorry to learn about your family history of cancer and can understand you wondering about genetic testing. 

The criteria for genetic testing in the NHS has probably changed over the past 20 years, but in terms of how strong/significant your family history is, I think it would be best talk this over with your GP - I don't think you can assume you would be approached if you were eligible for genetic testing. GPs can refer to and take advice from NHS genetic services. 

There are guidelines for genetic testing which a family history has to match up before it would be considered. These take into account the type of cancers family members have had and the age they were when they developed them. The history is used to work out the probability of a cancer gene being in a family and depending on that probability score some people can be tested in the NHS. So it is a good idea to find out if you can get referred and have this done properly.    

If you live in England or Wales it might be worth reading the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance for women with breast cancer in the family. You can find this here. 

And if you haven't already seen it, our website  has some information about inherited cancer genes at this link .

Please do get back to us if you have any more questions or give us a call us on 0808 800 4040. We are here from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Best wishes,

Julia 

Hello LorrieSue63 and thanks for posting, 

I am sorry to learn about your family history of cancer and can understand you wondering about genetic testing. 

The criteria for genetic testing in the NHS has probably changed over the past 20 years, but in terms of how strong/significant your family history is, I think it would be best talk this over with your GP - I don't think you can assume you would be approached if you were eligible for genetic testing. GPs can refer to and take advice from NHS genetic services. 

There are guidelines for genetic testing which a family history has to match up before it would be considered. These take into account the type of cancers family members have had and the age they were when they developed them. The history is used to work out the probability of a cancer gene being in a family and depending on that probability score some people can be tested in the NHS. So it is a good idea to find out if you can get referred and have this done properly.    

If you live in England or Wales it might be worth reading the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance for women with breast cancer in the family. You can find this here. 

And if you haven't already seen it, our website  has some information about inherited cancer genes at this link .

Please do get back to us if you have any more questions or give us a call us on 0808 800 4040. We are here from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Best wishes,

Julia