Hi,
I am wondering if anyone has had the genetic test done privately and if they coudl tell me where and how much it cost?
I am in Ireland and cant get it done on the NHS equivalent as I dont tick enough boxes to be considered High Risk and they only test High Risk people (i.e. got cancer young, bilateral cancer or lots of cancer in the family). I got it at 45, my Mum at 54 and that’s not young enough! Mum’s an only child and I’m an only girl so we dont have any other adult female relatives, so we dont pass that test!
Now thinking I might get it privately but that is not an option in Ireland, as far as I can tell.
I asked for a genetic test from my BCN at the local hospital (two of my maternal aunts had breast cancer). The BCN does not think mine is genetic as my aunts were older when they got this disease (over 50 when they got theirs) and I will be 52 next week. She suggested I get a risk assessment, so she gave me a form to fill out which I did, and sent it back to the genetics department within the hospital. I am just awaiting the outcome of this. I dont know if you are aware but the problem with getting official genetic testing done is that it may interfere with any future insurance policies you may take out. It may be worth discussing this with the BCN.
I’m not sure how representative my clinic is, but they don’t do private testing there. Have no idea if this is the exception to the rule, but thought I’d mention it!
My Mum has just had a genetic test done privately at Christie’s in Manchester where she has been having some of her treatment. She was dx with BC aged 58 but both her sister and mother had BC at young ages.She has had it done more for my sake as her oncologist was concerned about me and my Sister and our risk of getting BC. I think Mum’s test cost approx £600, but that was just for the test not for the cost of the actually consultation with the Geneticist. I believe to have it done on NHS it can take 18 months to get the results back but privately it takes about 8 weeks.
I’m really sorry to read so many of you have been denied a test on the NHS. I had a paternal grandmother with ovarian cancer and her sister had breast cancer. Because of this I requested and had a (NHS) test and consultation. The appointment came through really quickly and the results took about 10 months. I don’t have BRCA 1 or 2 but my sister has still been offered yearly mammograms (she’s mid 40’s) and she’s also had an oophorechtomy because of our family history. I’ve been offered regular scanning of my ovaries and my daughter will be offered screening in her early 30’s. I was busy looking at the paternal side but since my results my Mum has died from ovarian cancer, her father had prostate cancer. I approached my oncologist about the genetic test not my GP.
It also saddens me that so many are refused testing, genetics is so poorly funded. Belinda, you have such a strong family history I’m surprised you’ve tested negative for BRCA mutations. I feel compelled to ask you if your clinic did a 100% test? I know some clinics only test around 70% of the genes thus giving rise to ‘false negative’ results.