Research finds population BRCA testing in high risk group reduces anxiety and does not adversely affect psychological health or quality of life. 

Dr Ranjit Manchanda led the Genetic Cancer Prediction through Population Screening (GCaPPS) study at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London. The study compared long-term outcomes of population-based and family history criteria-based BRCA testing on psychological health and quality of life.

The research, published in the BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, found that population testing in the Ashkenazi-Jewish community could identify 150% more BRCA mutation carriers than current family-history based testing. Along with being more effective than current approaches, the research also identified that population-based testing was cost saving, with no significant adverse effects on those undergoing testing.

The research came from a collaboration with researchers at University College London and University of New South Wales, and was funded by leading gynaecological cancer research charity, The Eve Appeal.

Ranjit joined the NIA as a Fellow in 2019 and represents Genetic Cancer Prediction through Population Screening, a model of care for testing populations to identify individuals at higher risk of breast and ovarian cancers because they carry the BRCA1/2 genes.