Table 6 Workload units (WLUs) per molecular genetic test

From: A micro costing of NHS cancer genetic services

Cancer and mutations

Type of analysis

Molecular strategy

WLU

Staff

Resources

Breast, ovarian or breast ovarian

Mutation screening

• Sample reception/DNA extraction

24

MT01

Lab

BRCA1/2

 

BRCA1:

   
  

• DGGE for exons 2–24 (45 fragments using MTa technology)

506

MT02

Lab

  

• Rearrangement analysis (dosage PCR)

120

MT02

Lab

  

• Sequence analysis of variants

320

B-grade 17

Lab and 0ffice

  

• Report

15

B-grade 17

 
  

BRCA2:

   
  

• DHPLC for exons 2–27 (40 fragments using MTa technology)

450

MT02

Lab

  

• Sequence analysis of variants

320

B-grade 17

Lab and office

  

• Report

15

B-grade 17

 
 

Presymptomatic testing

• Sample reception/DNA extraction (duplicate samples)

48

MT01

Lab

  

Sequence analysis of known mutation

440

B-grade 17

Lab and office

  

• Report

15

B-grade 17

 

HNPCC

Mutation screening

• Sample reception/DNA extraction

24

MT01

Lab

MLH1/MSH2

 

MLH1:

   
  

• Sequence analysis (19 fragments using MTa technology)

1520

MT02

Lab

  

MSH2:

   
  

• Sequence analysis (16 fragments using MTa technology)

1280

MT02

Lab

  

• Report

15

B-grade 17

Lab and office

 

Presymptomatic testing

• Sample reception/DNA extraction (duplicate samples)

48

MT01

Lab

  

• Sequence analysis of known mutation

440

B-grade 17

Lab and office

  

• Report

15

B-grade 17

 

FAP

Mutation screening

• Sample reception/DNA extraction

24

MT01

Lab

APC

 

• APC sequence analysis (24 fragments using MTa technology)

1920

MT02

Lab

  

• Report

15

B-grade 17

Lab and office

 

Presymptomatic testing

• Sample reception/DNA extraction (duplicate samples)

48

MT01

Lab

  

• Sequence analysis of known mutation

440

B-grade 17

Lab and office

  

• Report

15

B-grade 17

 
 

Presymptomatic testing

• Sample reception/DNA extraction (duplicate samples plus family samples)

144

MT01

Lab

 

(Linkage analysis)

• Polymorphic marker analysis (six samples for two markers)

540

B-grade 17

Lab and office

  

• Report

60

B-grade 17

 
  1. aWeighted WLUs for the use of medium throughput (MT) technology. HNPCC=hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer; FAP or FAPC=familial adenomatous polyposis coli.