• 14th October 2024

This statement supersedes our pervious statement dated 26 march 2024.

 

In March 2024, NICE published new guidelines on the assessment and management of individuals at risk of developing familial ovarian cancer (NG241)

 

In response to these guidelines, NHSE published a statement (see below) acknowledging  that these guidelines cannot currently be implemented by regional genetics services as they fall outside of the eligibility criteria within the National Genomic Test Directory .

 

The UKCGG undertook a survey of UK Regional Genetics Services and discussed these guidelines in a national meeting on 19th September 2024. You can watch the video of the discussion by following this link here .

 

Around 130 people representing the UK cancer genetics community and Professor Ranjit Manchanda, Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, attended the National MDT on the Familial Ovarian Cancer Guidelines on 19th September 2024. 

 

A summary of this meeting is below:

 

 

 

  • Without additional resource the majority of clinical genetics services would not be able to expand current germline genetic testing pathways

 

  • With additional resource, or with the implementation of novel pathways to widen access to testing, the majority of clinical genetics services want to expand germline genetic testing of breast and ovarian cancer genes. There is a strong preference that this includes widening access to more breast cancer patients and unaffected at-risk individuals from breast/ovarian cancer families but this should be implemented equitably across cancer types so that all individuals at the same risk of carrying germline pathogenic variation (GPVs) in the same genes who are equally likely to benefit from the same risk reducing interventions are managed in the same way

 

  • UKCGG will continue to work with the National Genomic Medicine Service to try to progress this clear remit

 

Katie Snape, Chair, UKCGG

 

 

 

 

September 2024

NHS England statement in response to NICE guideline ‘Ovarian cancer: identifying and managing familial and genetic risk’

 

NHS England note the publication, in March 2024, of the NICE guideline (NG241) ‘Ovarian cancer: identifying and managing familial and genetic risk’.

 

NHS England recognises the guideline advises undertaking germline testing outside of the current eligibility criteria outlined within the National Genomic Test Directory (NGTD).

 

NHS England are currently reviewing the NICE guideline and assessing the impact on genomic medicine services, including consideration of the amendments required to align the NGTD eligibility criteria.

 

At this current time, the eligibility criteria for testing set out in the NGTD remains unchanged. 

 

Referrers and providers should be aware of the NHS Jewish BRCA testing programme which offers BRCA testing to anyone aged 18 or older who receives NHS care in England and who has at least one Jewish Grandparent. Testing is available for this population through self-referral and tests can be requested through the programme website.

 

All referrers to and providers of genomic medicine services are asked to continue to adhere to the eligibility criteria for genomic testing as outlined in the NGTD. 

 

Any questions in relation to this statement should be directed via email to the Commissioning Team within the Genomics Unit in NHS England: ENGLAND.genomics@nhs.net