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Oldham leads the way in battle with hereditary cancer

29/12/2004

OLDHAM is set to pilot a new scheme for people with a family history of cancer.

The service aims to provide testing, care and support for those who may be at risk of inherited cancer.

Deborah Sullivan, of Oldham Primary Care Trust (PCT), said: "A small number of cancers are associated with particular inherited genes and early testing for these or examining family history can help identify those people who may be at risk.

"We want to make sure that people who may have an increased risk of cancer are aware of the many things they can do to minimise that risk, and that people who have no increased risk feel reassured that this is the case."

Run by the Oldham PCT and part of the Government's genetics strategy, the programme will be lead by two GPs and a specialist nurse who will work closely with the Royal Oldham Hospital and St Mary's Hospital in Manchester.

People who have a close family member who has suffered from cancer will be invited to phone the service or can be referred by their GP.

The Department of Health and Macmillan Cancer Relief have paid £1.5million for a programme of pilot projects across the country.

Health Minister Lord Warner said: "A key aim of the Government's £50 million genetics strategy is to make sure that NHS patients benefit from the latest developments in genetics and an important part of this is making sure that genetics is part of mainstream NHS services.

"By encouraging GPs, hospital doctors and genetic and cancer specialists to work together, these pilots will help provide access to services for hereditary cancer to NHS patients and the pilots will be evaluated to develop future genetics services."

The coming year will see planning and training to ensure the scheme runs smoothly when launched in 2006.