Welcome Trust has funded £2.7 million to support a research programme that will eventually allow all cancer patients to get access to genetic testing.

The program involves the Institute of Cancer Research, London, The Royal Marsden, The Welcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics and Illumina Inc. They all aim to find a way to enable more cancer genes to be tested in more people.

Presence of mutation genes can increase the risk of developing cancer. Currently, scientists can identify about 100 cancer predisposition genes, but testing of these genes is still very limited.

Gene mutation identification has now become quicker and available at most affordable costs than ever before because of recent advances in methods for reading the genetic code, called sequencing.

The scientists explained that there are better chances of transforming cancer gene testing and to improve the health consequences of several cancer patients and their family.

"Identifying people with cancer due to gene mutations and offering testing to their relatives is a very effective way of helping people at highest risk of cancer before they develop the disease", said Professor Nazneen Rahman, lead researcher of the program and Head of Genetics at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Cancer Genetics Clinical Unit at The Royal Marsden.