Hereditary Cancer Risk Tool

For residents of England, Northern Ireland and Wales please note:

This tool is based on the National Genomics Test Directory, which specifies which genomic tests are commissioned by the NHS. The new NICE guideline on ovarian cancer published in March 2024 may impact your eligibility for genetic testing and so we advise you to speak to your GP if: you have had a diagnosis of ovarian cancer yourself, you have any relatives with ovarian cancer, or if you have any relatives with Jewish or Greenlander ancestry.

This simple tool will assess your risk of having inherited a gene alteration (also known as a mutation, variant or fault) that could increase your risk of developing certain cancers, and then compares this to the current NHS guidelines for genetic testing. It's suitable for both men and women.

The tool will only take a few minutes to complete. You will be asked about whether you have ever had a cancer diagnosis yourself, and about any family history of cancer, including the age any relatives were diagnosed. All answers to these questions are anonymous.

If you are unsure about your family history we recommend you speak to your relatives to find out if anyone in your extended family has been diagnosed with cancer. You can find advice on how to approach these conversations on our website.

This tool doesn’t assess your risks of having inherited all possible gene alterations that can impact your health; it assesses referral criteria relating to BRCA1, BRCA2 and Lynch Syndrome (hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer- includes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, and EPCAM). If you are concerned about any other hereditary health risks in your family, please speak to your GP.

Please note: This tool is based on the information you are able to provide and how it relates to the current referral guidelines in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Guidelines vary across the world so please refer to your local guidelines if you reside outside the United Kingdom. Care has been taken to ensure that the information we provide in this tool is as accurate as possible and has been reviewed by a geneticist. AstraZeneca has provided a sponsorship grant towards the initial set up costs of this tool but has had no input into the content.