In the first year since its launch, the ground-breaking BRCA gene testing programme has delivered over 25,000 saliva test kits across England to men and women with Jewish ancestry, with 11,000 tests returned and 2.1% of those who have received their results testing positive for the BRCA gene mutation.
The programme offers free BRCA gene testing for people living in England aged 18 or over with at least one Jewish grandparent, regardless of faith, religious practice, or any other criteria. People of Jewish heritage have an increased risk of carrying a mutated BRCA gene, with one in 40 Ashkenazi Jews and around one in 140 Sephardi Jews having a faulty BRCA gene, compared with around one in 250 of the UK general population. Both men and women can carry a BRCA gene fault, and can pass these on, unknowingly, to their children. A positive test result for a BRCA gene mutation puts individuals at increased risk of developing certain types of cancer (including breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic). Up to 40% of ovarian cancer cases, and 10% of breast cancer cases in the Jewish community are associated with a BRCA gene fault.
The testing programme, part of NHSE’s 10-Year Cancer Plan, is offered through NHS England in partnership with Jnetics and Chai Cancer Care, and gives individuals who test positive the knowledge and power to make informed choices, allowing them to access a range of options available on the NHS to mitigate against the risk of cancer. The gene mutation has a 50% chance of being passed on to children through either parent, but if someone is aware of their carrier status and wishes to prevent the faulty gene being passed on to any future children, special fertility techniques such as Pre-Implantation Genetic Testing (PGT) can achieve this.
WIPH Professor of Gynaecological Oncology, Ranjit Manchanda, who has been developing the Jewish BRCA testing programme, said: ‘Having spent over 15 years leading the GCaPPS Study (Jewish population BRCA testing - Genetic Cancer Prediction through Population Screening), it is incredible to see this come to fruition, with over 25,000 people with Jewish ancestry requested a free testing kit in the first year. This has been a promising start to the campaign, which can prevent many more cancers and save many more lives than we did earlier.’
Professor Peter Johnson, Clinical Director for the NHS England Cancer Programme said: ‘We want as many people as possible to take advantage of the testing programme, so please continue to come forward for a simple saliva test if you are eligible. If you are sitting on a test at home, we encourage you to send off the test kit. The majority of people won’t be carriers of the BRCA gene, but if you are, the NHS can provide you with further testing, surveillance or treatment early.’
For more information about the testing programme visit www.jewishbrca.org