A Genetic Test for Inherited Cancer Risk
A whole genome can check the genes behind inherited cancer risk, including BRCA1, BRCA2 and the Lynch syndrome genes. Most cancers are not inherited, but a clear variant can change screening and treatment. A genetic counselor and a doctor explain the result. Tiers here start at £1,695.
Written and reviewed by the clinical team at The Wellness. Last reviewed 2 October 2026.
Message us about my cancer risk, or call 020 3951 3429.
When to get help today
A genetic test is never an emergency and a symptom can be. If you have chest pain, breathlessness at rest, or you lose consciousness without warning, call 999 or go to your nearest emergency department today.
If a result has frightened you this week, speak to a clinician quickly rather than searching for more of the same online. Send us the report and someone will read it.
What inherited cancer risk means
Most cancers happen by chance or from factors that build up over a lifetime. Cancer Research UK states that up to 12 in every 100 cancers are linked to an inherited gene change, 2026. When one is present, the risk can be far above average and cancers can appear at younger ages.
Two well known examples are BRCA1 and BRCA2, which raise the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, and the Lynch syndrome genes, which raise the risk of bowel cancer and some others. Cancer Research UK states that between 1 in 400 and 1 in 300 people have a change in BRCA1 or BRCA2, 2026. NICE estimates that 175,000 people in the UK have Lynch syndrome and that many do not know, 2020.
What the numbers look like for a carrier
The risks for a carrier are high but not certain. In a prospective cohort of 9,856 carriers, the cumulative breast cancer risk to age 80 was 72% for BRCA1 and 69% for BRCA2, and the cumulative ovarian cancer risk was 44% and 17%, Kuchenbaecker and colleagues, JAMA, 2017.
Those figures describe people ascertained mainly through cancer genetics clinics, and the risk differs with family history and with the position of the variant in the gene. A counselor explains which numbers apply to you. For Lynch syndrome, risks differ by gene and by sex, Moller and colleagues, Gut, 2018.
What we check
We review a defined list of genes in which a finding changes medical care. That includes BRCA1, BRCA2, the Lynch syndrome genes and others where screening or preventive treatment is well established. Variants of unclear meaning are not reported as results.
You choose in advance, with the counselor, what you want to hear about. A person who does not want to know about a particular condition can say so before the test.
What happens if a variant is found
A clear finding can lead to earlier or more frequent screening, preventive options discussed with a specialist, and a test for blood relatives for the same variant. Your doctor and counselor explain the options and how they fit your age, history and wishes.
A finding is a risk and not a diagnosis. Many people with a variant never develop the cancer, and the numbers above describe groups and not individuals.
What a negative result does not mean
A negative result means we did not find a variant in the genes we review. It does not mean you cannot develop cancer, it does not cancel the screening advised for your age, and family history still matters when the genome is clear.
What we would do
One. A conversation with a registered genetic counselor, at no charge, before anything is taken and before you commit to anything. Bring your family history, because it changes what is worth doing.
Two. Saliva at home or a blood draw in Marylebone, sequenced at 30x in a laboratory accredited to ISO 15189.
Three. The result read with a doctor, written into your record, and read again as the evidence moves.
Start with the first conversation
Message us to book the first conversation
Questions people ask
Can a genome test show if I will get cancer? No. It can find inherited variants that raise risk, such as BRCA1, BRCA2 and the Lynch syndrome genes. Cancer Research UK states that up to 12 in every 100 cancers are linked to an inherited gene change, 2026. Tiers here start at £1,695.
What is a BRCA test? It looks for variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2, which raise the lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancer in carriers. In one cohort the cumulative breast cancer risk to age 80 was 72% for BRCA1 and 69% for BRCA2, Kuchenbaecker and colleagues, 2017. Risk differs between families.
What is Lynch syndrome? It is an inherited condition that raises the risk of bowel cancer and some other cancers, caused by variants in genes such as MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2. NICE estimates that 175,000 people in the UK have it and that many are unaware, 2020.
Should I tell my family? If a clear variant is found, it can matter for blood relatives, who can be offered a test for the same variant. The genetic counselor helps you decide how and whom to tell, and you do not have to decide on the day of the result.
What if a variant of unclear meaning is found? It is not reported as a result, because it is neither a diagnosis nor an all clear. It is held for review as the research develops, and a doctor tells you if the classification changes in a way that matters for you.
Do I need a GP referral? No. You can start with a free first conversation with our team. Bring what you know about cancer in your family, including who was affected and at what age, because that history shapes which test fits you and how the result is read.
Message us before you decide, or call 020 3951 3429.
This page is information and not a diagnosis. Sequencing does not replace examination, history or blood work, and no result guarantees an outcome. If you are unwell today, see a doctor today. In an emergency call 999.
References
Cancer Research UK. Family history and inherited cancer genes. cancerresearchuk.org, read 2 October 2026.
Cancer Research UK. Inherited genes and cancer types. cancerresearchuk.org, read 2 October 2026.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Molecular testing strategies for Lynch syndrome in people with colorectal cancer, guidance HTG430, clinical need. nice.org.uk, 2020.
Kuchenbaecker KB, Hopper JL, Barnes DR, et al. Risks of breast, ovarian, and contralateral breast cancer for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. JAMA, 2017;317(23):2402-2416. 10.1001/jama.2017.7112
Moller P, Seppala TT, Bernstein I, et al. Cancer risk and survival in path_MMR carriers by gene and gender up to 75 years of age, a report from the Prospective Lynch Syndrome Database. Gut, 2018;67(7):1306-1316.
National Cancer Institute. Genetics of breast and gynecologic cancers, PDQ health professional version. cancer.gov, 2023.
Rueda Martin A, Williams E, Foulger RE, et al. PanelApp crowdsources expert knowledge to establish consensus diagnostic gene panels. Nature Genetics, 2019;51:1560-1565. 10.1038/s41588-019-0528-2
ISO 15189:2022. Medical laboratories, requirements for quality and competence. International Organization for Standardization.