Free BRCA gene testing to identify cancer risk
NHS England is now offering free BRCA gene testing for anyone living in England, aged 18 or over with one or more Jewish grandparent, of any type of Jewish origin (Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi etc).
BRCA refers to 2 genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, which repair DNA damage and normally help to protect against cancer. Some individuals are born with a fault in one of these genes, and this increases their likelihood of developing certain cancers, including breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer. People with Jewish ancestry are around 6 times more likely to carry BRCA gene faults than the general population.
The tables below show the detailed cancer risks for females and males. Ranges are given, as the risk to each individual depends on multiple factors including family history.
Female Cancer Risk Over Lifetime (to age 80)
| Cancer | General population | With BRCA1 gene fault | With BRCA2 gene fault |
| Breast | 11.5% | 72% (65-79%) | 69% (61-77%) |
| Ovarian | 1.5% | 44% (36-53%) | 17% (11-25%) |
| Pancreatic | 1.0% | Not elevated | 2% (1-4%) |
Male Cancer Risk Over Lifetime (to age 80)
| Cancer | General population | With BRCA1 gene fault | With BRCA2 gene fault |
| Breast | Less than 0.1% | 0.4% (0.1-1.5%) | 4% (2-8%) |
| Prostate | 12.5% | Not elevated | 27% (21-35%) |
| Pancreatic | 1.0% | 3.0% | 4.0%-5.0% |
Knowing you have a BRCA gene fault allows you to access a range of options, available on the NHS, that help to manage and reduce cancer risk, as well as avoid passing on the gene fault to your children.
Call 020 3437 6001 or visit https://jewishbrca.org/ to sign up for testing.