The Primrose Foundation are pleased to confirm that, thanks to your support, we have been able to fund an essential breast cancer genetic training course for one of the Consultants in Breast and General Radiology within the Primrose Centre who specialises in family history risk assessments.

Your support enables us to fund a multitude of things, just a few examples of this is various essential equipment, research, and education.  We continue to work with the whole of the Breast Care Team and our dedicated volunteers to make our patient’s experience as comfortable as possible.

Our aim has always simply been to provide the best possible range of care and support when it is needed most. Being able to offer staff training bursaries is just one of the many things that our supporters make possible.

It is vital that staff can access new and developing ways of thinking to maintain a cutting-edge service. Learning about these developments and keeping skills updated can only be done through training courses and seminars.

Currently, the breast services at The Primrose Centre accepts referrals from GPs and other Consultants for women who may be at an increased risk of breast cancer due to their family history.  Each individual case can be assessed for risk which may be low, moderate, or high risk. The team can assess whether enhanced surveillance through mammograms and/or MRI is required. It may be that a more detailed assessment is required when there is a strong family history due to the number or young age of relatives who have developed breast cancer and related cancers, or they themselves have developed breast cancer at a young age. The team work closely with the Exeter Genetics Service and Plymouth based Genetics Counselling Service to consider all aspects from individual genetic testing, family member tracing to chemoprophylaxis and risk-reducing surgery. These patients may have a known cancer mutation in their family such as BRCA1, BRCA2 or TP53.

The course will give the necessary staff the skills, knowledge and understanding on how to deliver the best possible advice that is up to date so that all patients can be given the right advice and support when completing a family history assessment for breast cancer risk.