A petition urging the NHS to change genetic testing rules for patients under 45 has garnered 7,000 signatures. The petition, hosted on the Parliamentary website, demands that people whose parent was diagnosed with breast cancer before age 45 be eligible for inherited cancer gene testing, particularly if the affected parent is deceased or unavailable for testing.
Petition Details and Deadline
The petition has until October to reach the 10,000 signature threshold required to elicit a response from NHS England and the Labour Party government. With over 7,000 signatures already collected, it stands a good chance of meeting the target.
Personal Story Behind the Petition
The petition shares a personal account: "My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 42 and died at 51. I asked several times for genetic testing due to my family history but was refused because there was not considered to be enough family history information. I am now 38 and have been diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer and have only now been offered genetic testing. People should not be denied testing simply because family history information is incomplete due to bereavement."
Current NHS Genetic Testing Eligibility
According to the NHS website, genetic tests for cancer risk check for faulty genes that increase the likelihood of developing certain cancers. Testing may be offered if one close relative (parent, sibling, or child) has a known faulty gene, if several family members have had certain cancers, or if the individual has a Jewish background. The NHS advises speaking to a GP if you think you might have a gene that increases cancer risk.
Impact of the Proposed Change
Updating the eligibility criteria would allow more individuals under 45 with a family history of early-onset breast cancer to access genetic testing, potentially enabling earlier detection and prevention of cancer. The petition argues that current rules are unfair to those whose family history information is incomplete due to the death of a parent.
