Haematological Cancer: Screening

(asked on 30th April 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timetable is for whole genome sequencing to be made available to patients with blood cancer; and what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of that sequencing for those patients' care.


Answered by
Caroline Dinenage Portrait
Caroline Dinenage
This question was answered on 9th May 2019

Up to 50% of cancer patients enrolled in the 100,000 genomes project, including patients with blood cancer, have seen a change in their treatment since receiving their result. This could be eligibility for a new trial, or prescription of a new medicine.

The National Genomic Test Directory outlines the range of genomic tests – from whole genomic sequencing to tests for single genes and molecular markers – that are available as part of the National Health Service clinical service.

From summer 2019, whole genome sequencing will be implemented as part of routine clinical care and be available to:

- Seriously ill children with a suspected genetic disorder, including those with cancer;

- People with one of 21 rare and inherited conditions; and

- People with specific types of cancer for which there is likely to be the greatest patient benefit from using whole genome sequencing – children with cancer, sarcoma and acute myeloid leukaemia.

Reticulating Splines