Overview

A new telemedicine service has been introduced at preventcancer.co.uk, aimed at providing personalized breast cancer prevention for women aged 30 to 75 in the UK. This initiative enables women to assess their risk of developing breast cancer and take proactive measures well before the standard NHS screening begins.

Key Features of the Service

• The service offers a personalized breast cancer prevention plan based on individual genetic profiles.
• Utilizes a simple home saliva test combined with online clinical guidance.
• Particularly beneficial for women under 50, who currently do not fall under the national screening program despite representing 20% of breast cancer cases.

Support and Development

This service is backed by a consortium of clinical experts from:

• Prevent Breast Cancer
• The Breast Awareness Clinic
• Antegenes
• The University of Manchester

Expert Insights

Lester Barr MBE, co-founder of Prevent Breast Cancer, emphasized the need for enhanced prevention strategies for younger women. He stated, “We need to empower women to understand their individual risk, enabling informed health choices.” The goal is to eventually offer breast cancer risk assessments to all women over 30, leading to a more tailored screening program.

How It Works

The service employs a clinically validated polygenic risk score (PRS) test along with a questionnaire assessing family history. Women identified as high-risk receive specific recommendations for screening and prevention. The PRS evaluates the cumulative impact of numerous genetic variants associated with breast cancer, helping to identify at-risk women who may not have a family history or known mutations.

Future Aspirations

While currently a private service, the initiative aims to influence future NHS screening models that consider individual risk factors beyond age. Dr. Peeter Padrik, Oncologist and CEO of Antegenes, stated, “Personalized approaches are essential for the future of cancer prevention and screening programs.”

Conclusion

This new service provides women with a crucial opportunity to understand their breast cancer risk early and take appropriate action. Laura Naylor, Director of the Breast Awareness Clinic, noted, “It’s simple, supportive, and backed by clinical evidence, which is vital for integrating personalized prevention into everyday healthcare.”

Research Publication

The consortium has also published clinical guidelines for using PRS in breast cancer in the journal Cancers, outlining a framework for incorporating this innovation into standard healthcare practices.