Cancer genetic referral | Other referral pathways

If your patient meets our cancer genetic referral criteria:

• GPs can make a referral using the electronic referral system
• other specialists can email their referral to the genetics referral team using a secure nhs.net email 

We will review the referral and may request more information from the patient by asking them to complete the patient family history questionnaire. 

After assessing the full information we will either offer your patient an appointment or send them a letter containing appropriate screening advice.

Please let your patient know that it's important for us to confirm the family history, where possible, in order to determine eligibility. Unfortunately, this can cause delay especially if we don't have enough information at the beginning of the process.

If your patient or their family member has an identified genetic cancer susceptibility gene, we will accept a referral. We will need a copy of the genetic test report from the family member who has been tested.

If your patient's family does not have an identified genetic cancer susceptibility gene, then we usually only offer an appointment to someone who is affected. In some cases, where there is no affected relative available for testing, we would consider assessing an unaffected individual. The affected relatives must be blood relations, but can be through the maternal or the paternal side.

Please include any histology reports, such as receptor status or mismatch repair immunohistochemistry reports when completing the electronic referral. 

For more advice on a referral relating to cancer, please contact us:

• by phone on 020 8869 2795, 9am to 5pm, weekdays
• by emailing the genetics team