Can the data you hold help understand if I or my family have a genetic risk of cancer?

Yes. As we understand more and more about genetic predisposition to cancer, we are able to predict an increasing number of people who may have a genetic predisposition to some types of cancer. If you go to see a genetic counsellor because you are concerned that you might have a risk of cancer in the family, they will ask your permission to look up data collected about family members.  Last year genetic counsellors made nearly 30,000 requests to the National Cancer Registration Service to find out information to help their patients and families.