NHS to launch new programme of BRCA genetic testing for Jewish community
Up to one in 40 Jews carry the genetic mutations which can lead to certain cancers, compared with one in 400 in the general population.
NHS England is launching a new programme of genetic testing for mutations of the breast cancer gene in the Jewish community – who are 10 times more at risk than the general population.
Up to one in 40 Jews carry BRCA genetic mutations which can lead to certain cancers, compared with one in 400 in the general population.
The NHS hopes the move will help identify thousands more carriers of the mutation over the next three years which will enable these people to access cancer surveillance and prevention services.
NHS England boss Amanda Pritchard will announce the initiative at the NHS ConfedExpo conference in Liverpool today.
Addressing the meeting, she will say: “The NHS will not rest in our efforts to catch cancer early and save more lives.
“Throughout the pandemic, NHS staff developed new and innovative ways to ensure patients could get cancer checks and treatment as normal, including by providing Covid-safe drugs and delivering chemo at home.
“NHS staff have continued this innovation; from liver trucks travelling around the country to genetic testing and high-street checks, we want to make it as easy as possible for those most at risk to get vital, lifesaving tests.
“These plans have the power to truly transform the way we find and treat cancer, and ultimately spare thousands of patients and their families from avoidable pain and loss.”
The health service has committed to increasing the proportion of cancers caught at an early stage when the disease is easier to treat, offering a better prospect of survival.
At the moment around half of cancers are caught early but the NHS aspires to increase this figure to three quarters.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
