A cost analysis of a cancer genetic service model in the UK
A cost analysis of a cancer genetic service model in the UK
Technological advances in DNA sequencing have made gene testing fast and more affordable. Evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of genetic service models is essential for the successful translation of sequencing improvements for patient benefit, but remain sparse in the genetics literature. In particular, there is a lack of detailed cost data related to genetic services. A detailed micro-costing of 28 possible pathways relating to breast and/or ovarian cancer and BRCA testing was carried out by defining service activities and establishing associated costs. These data were combined with patient-level data from a Royal Marsden Cancer Genetics Service audit over a 6-month period during which BRCA testing was offered to individuals at ≥10 % risk of having a mutation, in line with current NICE guidance. The average cost across all patient pathways was £2227.39 (range £376.51 to £13,553.10). The average cost per pathway for an affected person was £1897.75 compared to £2410.53 for an unaffected person. Of the women seen in the Cancer Genetics Service during the audit, 38 % were affected with breast and/or ovarian cancer, and 62 % were unaffected but concerned about their family history. The most efficient service strategy is to identify unaffected relatives from an affected individual with an identified BRCA mutation. Implementation of this strategy would require more comprehensive testing of all eligible cancer patients, which could be achieved by integrating BRCA testing into oncology services. Such integration would be also more time-efficient and deliver greater equity of access to BRCA testing than the standard service model.
185-94
Slade, Ingrid
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Hanson, Helen
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George, Angela
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Kohut, Kelly
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Strydom, Ann
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Wordsworth, Sarah
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Rahman, Nazneen
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27 February 2016
Slade, Ingrid
264e62f4-7c1e-4522-93f2-917de23e31d3
Hanson, Helen
fe4a8065-8b0d-4b30-a658-cd433570c2ec
George, Angela
9d836dd2-b9fb-4a88-b0fc-b26044a2875d
Kohut, Kelly
62c06d25-2359-4a2a-a155-a54a8937fd8b
Strydom, Ann
e626e499-b5e6-4e23-b128-ddfe844cc97b
Wordsworth, Sarah
e61bcca5-2ddf-446c-99b9-079aac165a4d
Rahman, Nazneen
d5eded76-0af9-4d72-8fea-84986bf49c51
Slade, Ingrid, Hanson, Helen, George, Angela, Kohut, Kelly, Strydom, Ann, Wordsworth, Sarah and Rahman, Nazneen
,
MCG programme
(2016)
A cost analysis of a cancer genetic service model in the UK.
Journal of Community Genetics, 7 (3), .
(doi:10.1007/s12687-016-0266-4).
Abstract
Technological advances in DNA sequencing have made gene testing fast and more affordable. Evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of genetic service models is essential for the successful translation of sequencing improvements for patient benefit, but remain sparse in the genetics literature. In particular, there is a lack of detailed cost data related to genetic services. A detailed micro-costing of 28 possible pathways relating to breast and/or ovarian cancer and BRCA testing was carried out by defining service activities and establishing associated costs. These data were combined with patient-level data from a Royal Marsden Cancer Genetics Service audit over a 6-month period during which BRCA testing was offered to individuals at ≥10 % risk of having a mutation, in line with current NICE guidance. The average cost across all patient pathways was £2227.39 (range £376.51 to £13,553.10). The average cost per pathway for an affected person was £1897.75 compared to £2410.53 for an unaffected person. Of the women seen in the Cancer Genetics Service during the audit, 38 % were affected with breast and/or ovarian cancer, and 62 % were unaffected but concerned about their family history. The most efficient service strategy is to identify unaffected relatives from an affected individual with an identified BRCA mutation. Implementation of this strategy would require more comprehensive testing of all eligible cancer patients, which could be achieved by integrating BRCA testing into oncology services. Such integration would be also more time-efficient and deliver greater equity of access to BRCA testing than the standard service model.
Text
s12687-016-0266-4
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Accepted/In Press date: 27 January 2016
Published date: 27 February 2016
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 507559
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/507559
ISSN: 1868-310X
PURE UUID: 20e18dce-aca3-470e-98e1-f45f8f1063b6
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Date deposited: 12 Dec 2025 17:39
Last modified: 13 Dec 2025 03:08
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Author:
Ingrid Slade
Author:
Helen Hanson
Author:
Angela George
Author:
Kelly Kohut
Author:
Ann Strydom
Author:
Sarah Wordsworth
Author:
Nazneen Rahman
Corporate Author: MCG programme
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