Bermuda’s First Longitudinal Hereditary Cancer Experience to be Shared at International Bermuda Principles Conference
For more than 20 years, Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre has quietly invested in one powerful idea: that knowledge can save families.
This year, the Centre marks more than two decades of sustained commitment to cancer genetics and announces findings from Bermuda’s first longitudinal hereditary cancer programme. The data, built over 20 years of clinical care, will be shared with international leaders at the upcoming Bermuda Principles 30th Anniversary Conference.
But long before it became data, it was personal.
Since formal genetic testing began in 2006, more than 500 Bermudians have chosen to learn whether they carry inherited cancer risk. Ninety-nine dominant pathogenic variants across 17 cancer susceptibility genes have been identified, most commonly in BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Behind each result is a Bermudian family making informed decisions about screening, prevention, and the health of the next generation.
This programme represents Bermuda’s first population-based longitudinal data regarding hereditary cancer risk, not a single moment of testing, but a long-term commitment to walking alongside families over time.
A Two-Clinic Model Focused on Prevention and Protection
The Centre’s genetics programme operates through two integrated clinics:
Cancer Genetics & Risk Assessment Clinic Identifies individuals at increased hereditary cancer risk and provides guideline-based genetic testing and counselling.
Hereditary Cancer Clinic Provides ongoing management for individuals found to carry inherited mutations, including personalised surveillance plans, coordinated screening, and cascade testing for family members.
Genetic testing does not end with a result. At Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, it begins a structured, supported care pathway designed to reduce risk and detect cancer earlier, when it is most treatable.
A Longstanding Partnership in Genomic Medicine
The programme has been guided in collaboration with Dr Kevin Hughes, whose longstanding partnership with the Centre has ensured that Bermuda’s approach remains aligned with international best practice.
“Genetic testing is only the beginning,” said Dr Kevin Hughes. “What matters most is how those results are used, to guide surveillance, inform families, and reduce cancer risk over time. Bermuda has built a durable clinical framework that protects families for generations.”
Over two decades, the Centre has evolved from single-gene BRCA testing to comprehensive multi-gene panels encompassing more than 90 genes, adapting alongside advances in genomic science while maintaining patient-centred clinical care.
Bermuda’s Unique Population Story
The Centre’s longitudinal data has documented founder mutations within Bermuda’s population, with ancestral origins traceable to the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, the Azores, and the Middle East. These findings reflect Bermuda’s distinct population history, and underscore the importance of having local data, local expertise, and local access to care.
Bermuda on the Global Stage
Later this week, global leaders in genomics, data sharing, and ethical implementation will gather in Bermuda for the 30th Anniversary of the Bermuda Principles, the framework that shaped modern genomic collaboration worldwide.
The Centre’s 20-year hereditary cancer data will be shared with conference attendees, positioning Bermuda not only as host, but as a contributor to the global conversation on responsible and equitable genomic medicine.
“Our work in cancer genetics over the past two decades has focused on delivering evidence-based care to our community,” said Dr Chris Fosker, CEO, Medical Director and Oncologist at Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre. “Presenting this retrospective analysis reflects the Centre’s leadership in hereditary cancer management.”
Dr Kevin Hughes will be on island during the conference and is available for media interviews. He can be reached at marketing@chc.bm.
As genomic medicine continues to evolve, Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre remains committed to ensuring that scientific progress translates into accessible, structured, and compassionate cancer prevention and care for the Bermudian community.
More information about the Centre’s Cancer Genetics & Risk Assessment Clinics.
