We are now living in the Genomics Era. Genomics is the study of the entirety of our DNA, and Genomic Medicine is its application to clinical care. There are several useful resources for primary care clinicians which we have listed below.
NB.The most recent NICE guidelines suggests genetic testing of an unaffected individual with a first-degree relative diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Please note that these NICE guidelines are not funded nor commissioned and any referral will not be accepted and will be returned to the referrer. Individuals are only offered genetic testing in England if they fulfil testing criteria according to the national genetic test directory. Genetic testing is only offered to an unaffected individual if a gene change has been identified in an affected a member of the family.
The RCGP have created several webinars relating to genomics including 'Familial Cancer', a concise 12 minute update for primary care clinicians.
GeNotes are Genomic Notes for clinicians. They provide quick, concise information to help healthcare professionals make the right genomic decisions at each stage of a clinical pathway.
Presentation: Patient with a family history of cancer — In the Clinic (hee.nhs.uk)
Presentation: Patient with a family history of prostate cancer — In the Clinic (hee.nhs.uk)
Presentation: Patient with a family history of renal cancer — In the Clinic (hee.nhs.uk)
Presentation: Patient with a family history of skin cancer — In the Clinic (hee.nhs.uk)
Presentation: Patient with a genetic diagnosis of Lynch syndrome — In the Clinic (hee.nhs.uk)
Presentation: Patient with a relative who has a pathogenic BRCA variant — In the Clinic (hee.nhs.uk)
'There is cancer in my family, what does this mean for me?’
A GP’s guide to dealing with familial cancer referrals, with a focus on clinical management issues relevant to Primary Care. It is common for GPs to encounter patients who are concerned about a family history of cancer in our clinical practice. Jude Hayward (GP/GPwSI in Clinical Genetics) works within both Primary Care and in the field of Cancer Genetics. She will take you through all you really need to know to manage patients with a family history of cancer, including an overview of referral criteria and primary care management issues such as HRT and Contraception.