What is genetic counselling?
Our genetic counselling helps assess and inform you about your risk of developing hereditary cancer based on your family’s medical history or genetic profile. Genes in the cells of our body – inherited from our parents – are the blueprint mapping out how our body grows and works. In most cases, genes are stable enough to replicate themselves accurately, but mutations can occur. When a gene mutation is inherited, it poses a risk of hereditary cancer. Genetic counselling involves advising and presenting to you the interpretation and outcome of genetic testing, which is an examination of your genes to identify if there is any inherited germline mutation that might cause cancer. One can get genetic counselling at any time, in any situation from a certified genetic counsellor. Find out below how they can support you in making better-informed decisions about your health.
How can a genetic counsellor help you?
- Genetic counsellors are board-certified health professionals trained to help you proactively identify any genetic susceptibility to cancers, thus enabling you to make better health decisions
- Explain your family genetic disease or family health history to you from a medical professional perspective, so as to assess the risk of hereditary cancer and propose relevant prevention or solutions.
- Help you understand and adapting to the medical, physical, and psychological implications of the genetic evaluations and diagnoses, and minimize or even eliminate the associated negative effects
- Conduct risk assessment on genetic testing, its process, and how effective it is so that they can help you decide if you should go for genetic testing
- At Beacon Hospital, we offer U.S. accredited genetics diagnostics laboratory to deliver test results of the highest precision. This means that our test results are accurate, professional and reliable.