Breast cancer genetic counseling and testing is now available to patients with a referral from your primary care doctor. Begin by scheduling an appointment with your doctor and then asking for a referral.
What happens during genetic counseling?
Genetic counseling helps determine the risk for cancers that are passed through our family. Genetic counselors are medical professionals that help determine your risk for a hereditary form of cancer. They help develop a plan to manage that risk.
You will give the counselor your family medical history. That history will help the counselor determine if cancer runs in your family. The genetic counselor will discuss whether you need genetic testing, any inheritance in your family and how to reduce your risk.
If you choose to do the genetic testing, the counselor will coordinate it with you.
Genetic Testing Information
Genetic testing for breast cancer is done on-site at Denver Health. Testing for breast cancer genes can be time sensitive, especially for patients who have a diagnosis of breast cancer. It involves a blood draw, with a follow-up phone call from your genetic counselor to discuss the results. Patients found to carry cancer genes are then referred to a high-risk clinic for recommendations for preventing or managing conditions caused by the genetic variants.
The counselor will also tell you if other members of your family need to be tested.