Skip to main content

Together we are beating cancer

Donate now
  • Science & Technology

You could pay to find out about your cancer risk – but you might not get what you bargained for

by Laura Bell | Analysis

28 October 2010

3 comments 3 comments

Researcher looking at DNA

At the moment, direct-to-consumer cancer tests aren't ready for widespread public use.

New developments in genetic research and medical scanning are promising to usher us into a world of personalised health care. Several businesses now offer ‘direct-to-consumer’ gene tests, implying that they can tell healthy people about their risks of developing common diseases, including cancer.  Others advertise ‘health MOTs’ – a full body scan claiming to find early signs of such diseases.

These tests might sound tempting, but ‘personalised’ commercial cancer tests are new territory – and they raise tricky questions about consumer choice, personal responsibility towards healthcare and what role, if any, the Government should be playing in regulating it all.

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics recently launched their new report on ‘personalised medicine’. We went along to the launch event to find out what the experts think of this supposed healthcare revolution. But their basic message was a cautious one, as we shall see…

Direct-to-consumer genetic tests

It’s now possible to order a genetic test online – you spit into a test-tube and post it off to a company that analyses your genes. We’ve talked about these tests on this blog before, and our position – that they’re not ready yet – hasn’t changed since then.

The tests look for certain variations that have been shown to have a small impact on cancer risk.  On their own, each variation only has a relatively modest effect on cancer risk.  At the moment, it’s not clear exactly how they all add up, or interact with the influence of our lifestyle choices – the combination of ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’.

As an aside, it’s important to point out that these subtle differences are not the same as the major ‘cancer genes’ such as APC, BRCA1 or BRCA2 – inheriting faults in one of these genes can significantly increase a person’s chances of developing specific types of cancer.

‘Direct-to-consumer’ genetic tests should not be confused with genetic tests offered to you by your doctor. The NHS offers genetic testing for certain genes which have a clear, marked effect on cancer risk – such as APC, or BRCA1 and 2. They also come with counselling and advice, to help people understand the tests and the implications of the results. If you’re worried about your cancer risk – for example because of a strong family history of the disease – you should speak to your GP.

Although the blurb on the company websites may sound enticing, the research behind these tests is not yet at a stage where they can give a reliable prediction about a person’s cancer risk. We simply don’t have a complete picture of all the genes involved, nor do we understand how the research – often carried out in people from a few locations in the world – applies to people from different backgrounds and ethnicities.  In short, if you’re worried about your risk, these tests aren’t much practical use.

We think that if people want to find out about their genes, they should be able to make their own choices about taking these tests – as long as they can afford the rather hefty price tags these companies charge – but in full knowledge of exactly what it is they are getting for their money. So we’re keen for these companies to provide accurate, easy-to-understand information.

And many do – in fact, most companies selling these tests clearly state that ‘no medical decisions should be made on the basis of these tests.’ But as so often with small print, it’s likely that this rather stark message often gets lost in translation.

The Nuffield report working group looked at evidence from Professor Martin Richards from the University of Cambridge, who is publishing a paper describing his experiences of purchasing a genetic profiling test from two different companies. Not only were there substantial differences in his reported risk between the different companies, he also suggested it was unlikely that anyone who bought such tests would then approach the results as a ‘series of bits of information about their genome with no relevance at all for their health’.  In fact, it’s likely that people will overestimate the meaning and certainty of the results.

‘Good’ results may lead to complacency in lifestyle choices around the things we know definitely are responsible for causing many cancers – such as smoking, drinking excessive alcohol and not keeping a healthy body weight. It’s worth remembering that most cancers are not caused by the inherited genes these tests look for, but by damage we acquire to our genes throughout our lives. In fact, up to half of all cancers could be prevented by changes to our lifestyles that could reduce the chances of this damage occurring.

And learning about perceived risks could also be upsetting – but we’ll come back to that later.

On the up side, it’s possible that ‘bad’ results might encourage people to lead healthier lives  – or alternatively, opt for a fatalistic approach – but early research in this area suggests that personalised information about your genetic risk of diseases has little or no effect on people’s actions to reduce their risk.

Direct-to-consumer body scanning

A full body CT or MRI scan to look for early signs of diseases such as cancer sounds like a great way to make sure you’re in the clear, or flag the need for further investigation or treatment. But, as Professor Rose pointed out at the Nuffield report launch – there are a number of downsides.

For a start, CT scans expose people to radiation, which is potentially harmful. Such scans should therefore be done with the recommendation of a medical expert, and only when it is in the patient’s best interest. Professor Rose even spoke of some companies which advise an annual CT scan, without any reference to the potential harms.

The results of scans can be difficult to interpret, requiring expertise and experience. So it would be wise to have a clear understanding of who is interpreting your results and their qualifications.

Also, people aren’t perfect. The inside of every person’s body is a complicated and unique place, with all sorts of naturally-occurring oddities. These scans will often pick up ‘abnormalities’ which are actually harmless, but which could lead to unnecessary anxiety and further invasive tests.

Medical scans are a very important tool for diagnosing different illnesses, including cancer – but only when used appropriately. In fact in their report, the Nuffield Council have concluded that direct-to-consumer whole body imaging should not be given to healthy people – on the basis that, overall, it does more harm than good.

They also suggest that companies that sell body imaging services as a ‘health check’ should be regulated to ensure they are meeting standards of quality and safety.

Freedom of choice

These tests could lead to new expectations and choices for the individuals who use them. On the positive side, they could perhaps give a person a sense of knowledge or control over their health. But as Professor Hood, Chair of the working party who produced the report told us at the launch, “There is a danger in stressing personal responsibility when information is ambiguous and imperfect.”

Many of these developments are leading to viewing healthcare as a consumer product or choice – but Professor Hood pointed out: “Choice needs to come with good information and advice.”

The Nuffield report also highlights the potential for misuse of personal health information and the importance of safeguarding private information. Many of the report’s conclusions suggest that the companies involved, as well as the Government should provide clear information about the risks and benefits of these tests. This includes the potential consequences with regard to how the results may affect people’s life and  health insurance, employment or mortgages.

Balance, fairness and social solidarity

The most likely outcome from people receiving worrying or confusing results from tests they’ve bought is that they head to their GP – indeed recent research suggests that, for about 80 per cent of people, their doctor would be their first port of call after taking a personal genetic test. But given the scientific uncertainty behind these tests, it is difficult to see what benefit this would add, over the current general advice that GPs can offer about risk, genes and lifestyle.

People with real evidence of a raised risk of cancer –  for example, a suspicious growth discovered through a body scan –  should, of course, receive appropriate healthcare. But scenarios where people are essentially paying an entrance fee to qualify for further tests raises interesting new questions.

We should take advantage of new discoveries, but it’s important that public resources should be used fairly and efficiently. As Professor Hood put it: “Individual choice has to be balanced with fairness and social solidarity.”

So what next?

There are many worries about potential risks of direct-to-consumer tests and scans, but as of yet there is little evidence of actual harm. These developments raise new questions for us as a society and we need to keep a close eye on what happens in the world of commercialised, personalised healthcare.

But it’s also important to remember that these technologies are still developing, and that the research behind these tests holds substantial future promise. Many scientists around the world – including several funded by Cancer Research UK are investigating the complex links between genetic makeup and cancer risk. And we are investing in research into screening and imaging technology.

We’re not saying that these technologies and tests aren’t promising, just that it’s too early to sell them directly to consumers. At the moment, they simply raise more questions than they answer – at least as far as cancer risk is concerned.

We, and others, continue to invest in these avenues of research, aiming to advance our understanding so that one day tests like these –  based on robust scientific evidence –  can be used effectively to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

Laura Bell, Cancer Research UK Science Information Officer

    Comments

  • Nucleotide Boy
    15 November 2010

    Chris, nobody is saying that patients should have the benefits of available information. Your anti-GP rant is totally misplaced.

    The point here is that the basic science just isn’t in a position where these tests can tell you anything particularly concrete, and are highly likely to cause unnecessary alarm.

    Understanding the what this massive amount of data is actually saying is not something that anyone is really in a position to do at the moment. Take into account that with a few exceptions, most diseases are multifactorial. Trying to make sense of the reams of data from direct to consumer is something that nobody is in a position to do.

    I’m sorry that you feel so passionately against the scientific and medical communities that actually drive the basic science behind these tests. Just remember that it IS these communities that are driving forward research and bringing the practical reality closer. The direct to consumer companies are exactly that: companies over-egging what their tests can show to extract money from people concerned about their health. I know which I find more distasteful.

  • Andy Huggett
    31 October 2010

    Where cancer screening is concerned then social solidarity and fairness rules OK!!! Let’s hope those who can afford it commercialised & personalised cancer-screening get what they think they are paying for. Let’s keep the focus on CRUK’s challenge thrown out to our politicians to ‘detect cancer earlier’ and to ‘tackle cancer inequalities’.

  • Chris
    29 October 2010

    I am getting really tired of the negative PR associated with patients taking active control of our own health and being regarded universally as uneducated idiots liable to make the worst possible interpretation or decision regarding health information we receive – unless of course it is filtered through the god like GP. Let me tell you how I find GP’s – overworked, not up to date and uncurious. I had to go to three GP’s about the inside of my right breast not feeling right especially in extreme yoga poses. All had a feel around, said no lump and that was it. I took myself off to BreastScreen who found a lump – turned out to be cancer and it was exactly where I had been feeling this uncomfortable feeling. Meanwhile, I had raging dermatitis on my hands. Attended GP every month or two,who prescribed me a small fortune in this and that, including steriodal creams. Skin kept getting worse and worse. I asked a number of times for a referral to a specialist such as a dermatologist. Not needed I was told despite the fact I was now wearing cotton gloves on both hands,w ith weeping fissures and temperature up all the time. Finally after 9 months of spending a small fortune on the GP practice and getting worse, put my foot down.Long story short – one visit to dermatologist and hands fixed in three days. The steriodal ointment the GP prescribed had a preservative in it I was allergic to and all that was needed an oil based version. GP treatment in fact making me sicker. Asa breast cancer survivor I need regular scans to check to see if cancer has returned. Mammograms less effective on my dense breasts and given my risk profile, I want more accuate tests that pick up cancer cells before they become invasive. MRI which involved zero radiation from the breast coils far more accurate. Guess what – doctors don’t like referring me off for them! I took myself off for one which I paid full rate for and voila – cancer cells there which were not detected by the so called Gold Standard mammogram! I am so ticked off with the assumption of these writers we patients are disentitled to decide things about our bodies and/or incompetent at dealing with information we do obtain. Frankly, if I had let things rest in the hands of the GP’s I would still have an undiagnosed cancer growing in my breast and useless hands. Get real here – a lot of GP’s are overworked, disinterested and not that great at their job.

    Comments

  • Nucleotide Boy
    15 November 2010

    Chris, nobody is saying that patients should have the benefits of available information. Your anti-GP rant is totally misplaced.

    The point here is that the basic science just isn’t in a position where these tests can tell you anything particularly concrete, and are highly likely to cause unnecessary alarm.

    Understanding the what this massive amount of data is actually saying is not something that anyone is really in a position to do at the moment. Take into account that with a few exceptions, most diseases are multifactorial. Trying to make sense of the reams of data from direct to consumer is something that nobody is in a position to do.

    I’m sorry that you feel so passionately against the scientific and medical communities that actually drive the basic science behind these tests. Just remember that it IS these communities that are driving forward research and bringing the practical reality closer. The direct to consumer companies are exactly that: companies over-egging what their tests can show to extract money from people concerned about their health. I know which I find more distasteful.

  • Andy Huggett
    31 October 2010

    Where cancer screening is concerned then social solidarity and fairness rules OK!!! Let’s hope those who can afford it commercialised & personalised cancer-screening get what they think they are paying for. Let’s keep the focus on CRUK’s challenge thrown out to our politicians to ‘detect cancer earlier’ and to ‘tackle cancer inequalities’.

  • Chris
    29 October 2010

    I am getting really tired of the negative PR associated with patients taking active control of our own health and being regarded universally as uneducated idiots liable to make the worst possible interpretation or decision regarding health information we receive – unless of course it is filtered through the god like GP. Let me tell you how I find GP’s – overworked, not up to date and uncurious. I had to go to three GP’s about the inside of my right breast not feeling right especially in extreme yoga poses. All had a feel around, said no lump and that was it. I took myself off to BreastScreen who found a lump – turned out to be cancer and it was exactly where I had been feeling this uncomfortable feeling. Meanwhile, I had raging dermatitis on my hands. Attended GP every month or two,who prescribed me a small fortune in this and that, including steriodal creams. Skin kept getting worse and worse. I asked a number of times for a referral to a specialist such as a dermatologist. Not needed I was told despite the fact I was now wearing cotton gloves on both hands,w ith weeping fissures and temperature up all the time. Finally after 9 months of spending a small fortune on the GP practice and getting worse, put my foot down.Long story short – one visit to dermatologist and hands fixed in three days. The steriodal ointment the GP prescribed had a preservative in it I was allergic to and all that was needed an oil based version. GP treatment in fact making me sicker. Asa breast cancer survivor I need regular scans to check to see if cancer has returned. Mammograms less effective on my dense breasts and given my risk profile, I want more accuate tests that pick up cancer cells before they become invasive. MRI which involved zero radiation from the breast coils far more accurate. Guess what – doctors don’t like referring me off for them! I took myself off for one which I paid full rate for and voila – cancer cells there which were not detected by the so called Gold Standard mammogram! I am so ticked off with the assumption of these writers we patients are disentitled to decide things about our bodies and/or incompetent at dealing with information we do obtain. Frankly, if I had let things rest in the hands of the GP’s I would still have an undiagnosed cancer growing in my breast and useless hands. Get real here – a lot of GP’s are overworked, disinterested and not that great at their job.