The Cancer Alliance Regional Genomic Service is dedicated to educating healthcare professionals across the East of England. We are unable to take direct clinical referrals or receive patient identifiable information. We are also unable to provide direct medical advice or engage with patients regarding their personal care. If you have questions about your treatment, we encourage you to speak with your healthcare team, who are best placed to guide and support you.

ctDNA testing for CUP patients - July 2026. Click here to find out more, or look in the CUP accordion below

Updates to the National Genomic test directory, (July 2026) - click here to fnd out more.

The National Genomic test directory is going digital - click here to find out more.

Latest news updates can be found in the 'News' dropdown below

The Regional Genomic Practitioner Service

Comprehensive genomic sequencing offers patients with cancer the possibility of receiving a more precise diagnosis at the start of their treatment pathway. This can provide prognostic information and guide faster access to precision treatments or surgical intervention. Knowledge of a patients complete genomic profile helps to avoid drug toxicities and enables access to molecularly stratified clinical trials. Equally important, it may also identify at risk family members who may be eligible for risk stratification and cancer prevention strategies.

Adoption of genomics into cancer care needs a clinical workforce with understanding of how and where genomic testing fits into current clinical pathways and how to use it.

The Genomic Clinical Practitioners are working across the East of England Cancer Alliances geography to deliver the genomics agenda. The Genomic Clinical Practitioners will work with the three Genomic Medical Service Alliances and their associated Genomic Laboratory Hubs that map into the East of England Cancer Alliance Geography, ensuring that relationships are built with the Medical Genetics Services that align to all localities. The service will facilitate, support and engage with primary and secondary care colleagues to develop pathways and embed genomic testing and/or advice for all service users in cancer care.

Contact the Regional Genomic Clinical Practitioner Service on:
cpicb.eoegenomicsteam@nhs.net

All emails will be directed to the correct practitioner for your area.

Meet the Team/Contacts
Click here to read the Regional Genomic Practitioner Service's report (July-September 2024)
Click here to read the Regional Genomic Practitioner Service's Education Event Report (14.03.2025)
Click here to see the report and presentations from the Regional Genomic Practitioner Service's Education Event (19.09.2025)
Poster acceptance at UKONS & The Festival of Genomics
Genomic Readiness Report 2024 - 2025

CUP Flowchart

Patient Tracking Database

MUO and CUP definitions.png

Metastatic malignant disease of unknown primary origin in adults: diagnosis and management

ctDNA testing for CUP patients

From 15th July 2026, patients with CUP can be referred for circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) testing via the NHS Genomic Test Directory.

Already used in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ctDNA testing uses a simple blood test to detect tumour DNA circulating in the bloodstream.

For patients with CUP, this can help:

  • Identify the likely tissue of origin
  • Detect clinically actionable genomic alterations
  • Support diagnosis, treatment decisions and access to clinical trials

To support this rollout, the national genomics unit have produced educational webinars to walk through referral pathways and what this means in practice.  The relevant webinar for our region took place on the 7th July, see recording and slides here:  

Slides                               Recording

If you require any further information on how to action testing for your patients, please do get in touch.

Whole Genome Sequencing for suspected cancer - Information for patients and family members

Join the thousands of healthcare staff using the QGenome app

Clinicians across the East Midlands and East of England can now have genomic referral, risk assessment and testing guidance in the palm of their hand, thanks to an NHSE-funded app called QGenome. The app, which can be downloaded for iOS and Android devices (with a web-based version also available) is based on national guidelines including NHS England’s National Genomic Test Directory. The app currently supports clinicians in the areas of cancer, cardiology, renal, prenatal and primary care. Some feedback from clinicians currently using the app includes:

  • “Incredibly useful. Feels like I have a Genetic Counsellor on my shoulder.”
  • “For someone new to genomics it has been invaluable in understanding eligibility pathways and has improved my knowledge and ability to speak to patients about their concerns.”
  • “User friendly. Great educational and clinical decision support tool.”

You can find out more, including how to download the app on the QGenome website.

To watch a demo of the app by Dr Anju Kulkarni (one of the creators), please click here. 

Important concepts in cancer cell biology and genetics - Training Science Communicated Ltd

Session 1 - Cancer cell biology

Session 2 - Targeted therapies

Session 3 - Immunotherapy

Session 4 - Precision cancer medicine

P1 (Includes session 1 & 2) - Click here to watch

P2 (Includes session 3 & 4) - Click here to watch

 

  1. Introduction to cancer treatments
  2. Using small molecules as cancer treatments
  3. Using antibodies as cancer treatments
  4. How does chemotherapy work?
  5. Hormone therapy for cancer
  6. Targeted cancer treatments
  7. Kinase inhibitor cancer treatments
  8. Immunotherapy
  9. Immune checkpoint inhibitors
  10. Living cells as cancer treatments

Communities of Practice

East Genomics are supporting 16 Genomics Communities of Practice to support healthcare staff across specialities and job roles to share best practice, upskill and better integrate genomic medicine into their clinical practice.

For cancer these include:

Urology / Lung / CUP / Paediatric, teenage & young adult haemato-oncology / Pancreatic / Haemato-oncology / Gynaecological Oncology.

This link will take you to view each of the Communities of Practice including who is leading it, a schedule of upcoming meetings, how to join, and where to access slides and recordings from previous meetings

https://www.eastgenomics.nhs.uk/for-healthcare-professionals/east-genomics-communities-of-practice/

Regional Genomic Practitioner Service Webinar - October 2024, can be viewed here.

Genomics in Primary Care Webinar - May 2025, can be viewed here.

ICS Cancer Educational Webinar - Genomics - July 2025, can be viewed here.

Our Voices, Our Stories: Lived Experiences of Genomic Testing Webinar - August 2025, can be viewed here.

CanRisk for Breast Cancer Training Session - NHS East Genomics August 2025, can be viewed here.

Genomics Webinar, Primary Care - December 2025, can be viewed here.

Genomic Testing in Pancreatic Cancer webinar - 14th January 2026, can be viewed here.

Pancreatic Cancer & Genomics - Implementation of mainstream testing - March 2026, can be viewed here.

TNBC: Genomics and Pathology - April 2026, can be viewed here.

Digitising the Genomic Test Directory - April 2026, can be viewed here.

Let's Talk About Cancer - Genomics, how we use DNA to inform cancer diagnosis and treatment options - July 2026, can be viewed here.