Price range: £335.00 through £999.00
PreSENTIA is a hereditary cancer test range with 19 panels that check selected inherited gene changes linked to a higher chance of certain cancers. Options range from focused BRCA1 and BRCA2 analysis to a broader 62-gene pan-cancer panel.
This choice can help you explore whether inherited risk may contribute to a personal or family pattern of cancer. Through My DNA Lab, you can access the testing privately and use the report to support an informed conversation with your GP, a clinical genetics professional or a cancer genetics specialist.
Your kit includes a Buccal Cheek Swab and clear instructions, allowing you to collect your sample from the comfort of home. Once the sample is ready, contact us and we will arrange collection from your home.
Most cancers are not caused by an inherited gene change. However, some changes are present from birth and can increase the chance of particular cancers. Because an inherited change can be shared through a biological family, the result may also be relevant to relatives.
PreSENTIA checks selected genes linked to defined hereditary cancer syndromes. In other words, it assesses inherited risk; it does not analyse DNA released by a tumour or diagnose whether cancer is present now.
The genes differ between the 19 panels, so the panel name alone does not describe the full scope. You can review every gene in the PreSENTIA gene list under ‘Test provider and further information’ further down this page.
PreSENTIA may suit you if cancer has occurred at a younger age than expected in your personal or family history. It may also be relevant when several related cancers occur on one side of the family, or there is a rare cancer, more than one primary cancer or a known inherited cancer gene change.
The broadest panel is not automatically the most useful. When the family pattern points clearly to one cancer group, a focused panel can provide a more direct answer and reduce the chance of unrelated findings.
If a genetic change has already been identified in your family, a focused test designed to look for that change may be more useful than a new broad panel. If you arrange pre-test genetic counselling, you can decide whether to discuss the existing family report during that session.
If you have a new symptom or concern about cancer, speak with your GP. PreSENTIA is designed to assess selected inherited risk and should not be used instead of symptom assessment, NHS screening or cancer follow-up.
Your report may identify an inherited gene change linked to a higher chance of cancer, find no relevant change or identify a change that is not yet fully understood. Each outcome has a different meaning and may lead to different follow-up questions.
A positive result does not mean that cancer is certain to develop. Equally, a negative result does not remove ordinary cancer risk or rule out gene changes and cancer types outside the selected panel.
Genetic counselling can help you understand what a finding may mean for screening discussions, risk-reducing choices and biological relatives. We always recommend that you discuss your results with your healthcare professional before making a major medical decision.
Whatever the result, continue routine NHS screening and seek medical advice for symptoms. Do not change screening or medical care from the report alone.
Begin with the pattern of cancer in your personal and family history. The cancer type, age at diagnosis, side of the family and any existing genetic report can all influence which panel is most relevant. A focused PreSENTIA panel may be clearer when the pattern is specific, while the 62-gene pan-cancer panel may be considered when several relevant cancer types overlap.
Broader testing can provide more information, but it can also increase the chance of an uncertain or unexpected finding. Consider what you want to learn and whether the result may also matter to biological relatives. In some families, testing a relative who has had cancer can provide more informative results.
Keep the complete laboratory report with an accurate family history. Biological relatives should not rely on a screenshot to decide that they have the same gene change, as they may need their own advice and focused testing.