East of England Cancer Care | News and events

A new expert team is injecting a genetic boost into personalised cancer care across the East of England.

Six Genomic Clinical Practitioners are working with hospitals and care teams to ensure that local patients can benefit from huge advances in genomic medicine.

Genomic medicine aims to transform cancer prevention, prediction, diagnosis and treatment by using insights from a patient’s complete set of DNA – called a genome – to inform the best treatment for each individual.

Set up by the East of England Cancer Alliance, the new team is the first of its kind in England and supports a national strategy to embed genomics in the NHS, enabling staff and patients to access state-of-the-art tests and treatment in conditions where genomics can play a part, such as certain cancers.

Over the next ten years, the NHS plans to routinely offer genomic testing to all cancer patients where there is clinical benefit. This will deliver:

• faster and more accurate diagnosis
• personalised precision treatment
• greater access to clinical trials
• identification of family members who could be at risk

Leading the team is Consultant Medical Oncologist Dr Brent O’Carrigan, who is Clinical Cancer Lead at the NHS East Genomics Laboratory Hub, based in Cambridge. He said:

“It is widely expected that many future cancer treatments will be targeted to tumours based on specific genomic and other biomarkers.

“Comprehensive genomic sequencing will offer cancer patients a more precise diagnosis at the start of their treatment.

“This can provide better information, guiding faster access to precision treatments or surgery based on the complete genomic profile of the cancer together with other diagnostic information, avoiding drug reactions and enabling access to clinical trials.

“Crucially, it may also identify family members who could be at risk to enable early intervention.”

The new Genomic Clinical Practitioners are working across the region to ensure that genomics is embedded in cancer care from the patient’s first GP appointment through to aftercare and follow ups like genetic counselling.

Service leads are Liz Lawrence and Melissa Cambell-Kelly.

Liz has worked as an oncology nurse for 23 years; she has a Post Graduate Diploma in Genomics and is about to start a Masters Degree in Genomics. She said:

“As co-leads we are determined to increase genomic literacy across the East of England, working with colleagues to embed genomic testing and providing advice for all service users in cancer care.”

Melissa has a background in nursing and midwifery and for the last 15 years has been involved in clinical research nursing, with the last six years as lead nurse for cancer research at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Her interest in genomics grew while working on the 100,000 Genomes Project. She has just completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Genomics.

Melissa said: “We are passionate about the next generation of cancer care and are proud to be leading this innovative project with our team of Genomic Practitioners.”

Consultant oncologist Professor Peter Hoskin, Clinical Director at the East of England Cancer Alliance, said: 

“Genomic medicine has the potential to offer a greater understanding of how our genetic makeup impacts on our health and the response to treatments.

“This innovative project establishes the East of England as a trailblazer for genomics excellence in NHS cancer care. It sets out a model for the future.”