Cancer Genetic Counseling
To schedule a genetic counseling appointment, please contact our Cancer Genetic Counseling office at 703-776-8758.
The Cancer Genetic Counseling program serves individuals who are concerned about their personal or their family's risk of developing cancer. We consult with patients and families with many different types of cancers, including breast, ovarian and colon cancer.
What is genetic counseling?
To determine the risk of having hereditary cancer in one's family,
an individual may wish to consider cancer genetic counseling.
While the majority of adult cancers occur in individuals who are not
genetically predisposed to developing malignancy, a small number of
families carry a hereditary predisposition to cancer.
The genetic counseling program at Inova Fairfax Hospital Cancer Center is a Master's level health professional who is trained both in cancer risk assessment as well as in the special counseling needs of patients who choose to undergo genetic counseling.
Cancer genetic counseling includes:
- Reviewing medical history, family history, and other cancer risk factors and providing an estimate of a person's risk for developing specific cancers.
- Estimating the likelihood that the cancers in a family are hereditary.
- Providing cancer screening and risk-reducing recommendations based on an individual's level of risk.
- Discussing the benefits, limitations and risks of genetic testing.
- Providing genetic testing for appropriate individuals, and follow-up counseling to discuss the results and their meaning.
Who can benefit from cancer genetic counseling?
Cancer genetic counseling is helpful for individuals with a personal and/or
family history of:
- Early-onset cancers, such as breast or colon cancer diagnosed before age 50.
- Cancer in two or more first-degree relatives on the same side of the family.
- Multiple primary tumors (for example, a woman with two primary breast cancers, a woman with colon and endometrial cancer or a man with primary colon and stomach cancer).
- Bilateral or multiple cancers.
- Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish ancestry with significant personal and/or family history of breast/ovarian cancer.
What can I expect during a genetic counseling visit?
An initial genetic counseling appointment generally lasts one to two
hours. During this first visit, the genetic counselor will collect medical
and family history information, provide cancer risk assessment, and
discuss the option of genetic testing in full detail. Concerns regarding
insurance discrimination, privacy of genetic testing results and cost of
testing will be addressed.
Will my insurance company cover the cost of my genetic
testing?
Many insurance companies will cover all or part of the cost of genetic
testing. As part of our service, the genetic counselor will work with
the patient and insurance company to obtain benefit information
and pre-authorization for testing. Coverage is generally based on an
individual's specific plan and personal/family history of cancer.
Submitting the genetic testing bill to an insurance company provides minimal risk of insurance discrimination. Many states, including Virginia and Maryland, as well as the District of Columbia, have laws protecting individuals from insurance discrimination. Federal laws also exist. Currently there is no direct evidence that people are experiencing health insurance discrimination associated with cancer genetic testing.
To schedule a genetic counseling appointment, please contact our Cancer Genetic Counseling office at 703-776-8758.
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