This story has been all over the news this morning, so thought I’d post about it here.
Here’s the BBC story bbc.co.uk/news/health-21016553 and the first paragraph reads:
"Women in England and Wales with a strong family history of breast cancer could be offered medication on the NHS to try to prevent the disease.
"The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence has launched a consultation on whether tamoxifen could be given for up to five years.
“If approved later this year, the draft guidelines would be the first of their kind in the UK.”
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Our clinical nurse specialist on family history issues, Jackie Harris, had this to say:
"This proposed new guidance is very good news for people with hereditary breast and a family history of breast cancer which greatly increases the risk of getting the disease.
"The guidance will potentially allow those women who are moderate and high risk breast cancer gene-carriers to take Tamoxifen or Raloxifene where appropriate for 5 years with an aim to prevent breast cancer which would be a great step forward. This has been happening in other countries but not the UK to date.
"Increased screening with mammography for longer for both women at an increased risk (moderate, high risk and BRCA carriers) and for those after a diagnosis of breast cancer who are high risk or confirmed BRCA 1 and 2 gene carriers is something that we would also welcome. Many of those affected tell us how much they would appreciate this.
"It could mean more people whose BRCA 1 and 2 mutation carrier probability risk is between 5 and 10% may have the opportunity to consider the possibility of genetic testing for the first time. And genetic testing could also be considered in those whose first degree relative who has had breast cancer (with a carrier probability of 10-20%) is unavailable for genetic testing.
Women under 40 newly diagnosed with ‘triple negative breast cancers’ could be referred to a genetic team for further assessment for the first time.
We are also pleased to see that the guidance encourages the additional use of computer calculation models alongside family history when making a risk assessment, allowing for greater accuracy and potentially better tailored treatments.
“We will be responding in detail to these proposals after full consideration. What we must ensure is that anyone offered or informed about any of these options is given the support and information they need and that support organisations like Breast Cancer Care are signposted every step of the way.”