What is a gene panel test?
Gene Panel Testing is a test that looks at genes that are linked to a particular genetic condition or similar conditions. The test looks for all the genes at the same time included in the panel.
What is a gene?
Our body is made of billions of cells. Each cell has DNA. DNA carries the instructions for how our bodies work, grow and develop.
DNA is very long and is ordered into packages called chromosomes. Humans have 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairs in each of our cells.
A gene is a short length of DNA found on a chromosome.
Why has the gene panel test been offered?
This test might be offered if we think there may be there may be a genetic cause for your medical condition.
This test might be offered if we have done some other medical tests and a physical examination (so looking, feeling, listening to different parts of the body), but we are still not sure what is causing your condition.
How is the gene panel test done?
The gene panel test is usually a blood test.
A blood test is when some of your blood will be taken, usually from your arm, using a needle. Blood tests are usually done by a health professional e.g. a nurse.
Giving Consent
You need to give consent for this test to be carried out. Consent means giving your permission. You will need to sign a form to give your permission.
With your consent, the laboratory (the place where your blood gets tested) will keep any leftover DNA. They might use this if more tests are needed in the future.
What happens next?
It can take a few months for the tests to be completed and to get your results.
The consultant will get the results and talk to you about them. You can ask them any questions you have about the test or the results.
What are the possible results from the gene panel test?
- Normal result—no change in the gene is seen. Sometimes a test can come back as a normal result but the condition might still be genetic.
This might be because:- there could be a change in the gene, but the gene panel test has not been able to find it.
- there are some genes that we still don’t know much about.
- A gene alteration (a change in the gene) -it is highly likely that a change in the gene is the cause of the medical condition, or the gene change is contributing in some way.
- The test shows that there is a change in the gene but we do not know if this genetic change is the reason for the medical condition (the medical term for this is Variant of Unknown Significance or VUS).
To help them understand this type of result, your consultant may ask parents or other family members to have a gene panel test You can talk about this with your consultant if it happens.
Unexpected Information
There is a very small chance that the gene panel test could pick up a different gene change that is not linked with the current medical condition.
This could possibly have an impact for the future health of you and your family.
If this happens, we will talk to you about the results and offer any further support and/ or tests you may need.
Will this test change my current medical care?
The gene panel test is a way of trying to help us understand and manage your condition better.
If there is a diagnosis following the results of your test, it may change the way your medical condition is treated.
- It might give us more information about your medical condition and signpost you to support groups. This might be helpful to you and your family.
- It might give us more information about the way your medical condition could change over time. We’d have more information about any other health problems linked to it. This might mean you would have more regular check ups.
- It might give us more information about the chances of the condition being passed to your children.
- It may give us information about the possibility of other family members being affected by the same genetic condition.
If you choose not to have the Gene panel test your medical care with still continue.
Where can I get more information?
Liverpool Centre for Genomic Medicine Liverpool:
Women’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Crown Street,
Liverpool, L8 7SS
Telephone: 0151 802 5001 or 5008
Email: [email protected]
North West GMSA site: https://www.nw-gmsa.nhs.uk
BBC bite-size: Chromosomes, DNA and genes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/znm66v4/revision/2