Genetic bowel cancer risk test in Chiswick

What the test measures

This test sequences 11 genes in which inherited changes, called pathogenic variants, are known to raise the chance of developing bowel cancer. It covers the mismatch repair genes and EPCAM linked with Lynch syndrome, APC and MUTYH, linked with conditions where many bowel polyps form, and genes behind rarer polyposis syndromes.

DNA is taken from a standard blood sample, so the result reflects the genes you were born with rather than anything happening in your bowel today. It does not look for cancer and does not replace bowel screening.

Your price includes the sample taken at our Chiswick clinic, analysis at the Randox accredited laboratory, a practitioner review of your result and a GP feedback report on request. Because genetic results can affect relatives as well as you, we encourage everyone to talk through the findings with a genetic counsellor or specialist.

Who it is for

• You have a parent, sibling or child who was diagnosed with bowel cancer, especially when young.
• Several relatives on the same side of your family have had bowel, womb or ovarian cancer.
• A relative has been told they carry a variant in one of these genes and you would like to know your own status.
• You have had bowel polyps found and want to understand whether an inherited cause is possible.
• You are planning a family and would like information on inherited risk.

Understanding your result

Each gene is reported in one of three ways: no relevant variant found, a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant found, or a variant of uncertain significance, which means science cannot yet say whether it changes risk. A pathogenic variant raises lifetime risk but does not mean cancer will happen, and the NHS offers extra surveillance, such as regular colonoscopy, for people who carry one.

A negative result does not remove all risk. Most bowel cancer is not inherited, other genes not on this panel may play a part, and lifestyle and age still matter. Any finding is a prompt for discussion with a specialist, not a diagnosis.

Preparing for your test

No fasting or special preparation is needed for this genetic test. If a family member already has a known variant, please bring a copy of their report, as it helps the laboratory and your practitioner read your result. Tell us if you have ever had a bone marrow transplant, as this affects DNA taken from blood.

If you have gut symptoms rather than a family history, a stool test such as calprotectin looks at bowel inflammation and is a very different test. The rest of our range is listed with every blood test and price in Chiswick.

Questions

How much is a genetic bowel cancer risk test in Chiswick?

The Genetic Bowel Cancer Risk test costs £678. This covers your blood sample at our Chiswick clinic, gene sequencing at the Randox accredited laboratory, a practitioner review and a GP feedback report on request.

Is this test the same as bowel cancer screening?

No. NHS bowel screening looks for signs such as hidden blood in stool. This test looks at inherited genes and says nothing about whether cancer is present now, so please keep taking part in NHS screening.

What happens if a variant is found?

Your practitioner will explain the finding and recommend referral to a genetics service, which can advise on surveillance and on testing relatives.

Do I need to repeat this test?

Your genes do not change, so the test is normally done once. A variant of uncertain significance may occasionally be reclassified as research moves on.