The short answer
A genetic counselor is a trained professional who helps you decide whether genetic testing for inherited cancer risk is right for you, and helps you understand the results. Counseling covers your family history, the pros and cons of testing, what results mean, and how they may affect relatives. It is generally recommended before, and sometimes after, testing.
A genetic counselor helps you decide whether testing is right and helps you understand results.
Counseling is generally recommended before genetic testing, and often after a positive result.
The counselor reviews your personal and family history to estimate inherited risk.
You give informed consent before testing, after learning the benefits and downsides.
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This page is for anyone thinking about genetic testing for inherited cancer risk, and for their families. It explains what a genetic counselor does, before and after a test.
The simple version
A genetic counselor is a trained professional. They help people think through genetic testing for inherited cancer risk. They are experts in how cancer can run in families and in what test results mean.
Counseling is generally advised before testing, and often after — above all when a harmful change is found. The goal is to make sure any testing is the right choice for you, and that you understand the results.
Genetic counseling turns a hard topic into clear, personal information you can act on.
What a genetic counselor does
Genetic counseling for cancer usually covers several things:
- Reviewing your history. The counselor asks which relatives had cancer, what kinds, and at what ages. They also ask about your own health.
- Estimating inherited risk. From that picture, they judge how likely it is that an inherited change runs in your family.
- Explaining testing. They describe which test might fit, how accurate it is, and what the results could mean.
- Discussing pros and cons. They walk through the benefits, the downsides, and the emotional side of learning results.
NCI says this can be done by a trained genetic counselor or another health care professional experienced in cancer genetics.
A counselor's job is to give you the full picture, so the choice is truly your own.
Before testing
Before any test, counseling helps you decide whether testing makes sense at all. Together you might weigh:
- Whether your history suggests an inherited pattern
- Which test — and which genes — would be most useful
- What a positive, negative, or uncertain result would mean
- How results might affect your relatives
- The emotional impact of learning your risk
If you decide to go ahead, you give informed consent. NCI says written informed consent is obtained before a test is ordered. It covers the test's purpose, its medical meaning, its risks and benefits, the other options, and your privacy rights.
Good counseling means you never walk into a test unsure of what it might reveal.
After testing
Counseling does not always stop once results are back. Counseling after a test is common, above all with a positive result. It can help you:
- Understand exactly what your result means
- Plan next steps, such as earlier or more frequent screening, or prevention options
- Get referrals to support and information
- Think through how — and whether — to share results with family
Emotional support is part of this stage too. Results can bring relief, worry, or mixed feelings.
Why family matters
Your result is not only about you. Genetic tests are unusual. They can reveal information about your blood relatives, not just you. If you carry an inherited change, your siblings, children, and other relatives may share it.
Family members may feel differently about wanting to know. A genetic counselor can help you think through those talks. They can also help relatives understand their own testing options.
One person's result can open the door to protecting a whole family. Counseling helps handle that with care.
Privacy and protections
A counselor can also explain how your results are protected. NCI notes that results fall under HIPAA protections. The federal law GINA prohibits discrimination based on genetic information in health insurance eligibility and employment. It does not cover life, disability, or long-term care insurance, or the military. Knowing these protections can ease worries about testing.
Finding a counselor
Ask your doctor or care team whether they can refer you to a genetic counselor or another professional experienced in cancer genetics.
Before your appointment, gather what you know about your family's cancer history. Note which relatives, which cancers, and at what ages. That information is the raw material a counselor uses to help you.
Common questions
What does a genetic counselor do?
A genetic counselor is a health professional trained in cancer genetics. They review your personal and family medical history, estimate the chance that an inherited change runs in your family, explain the benefits and downsides of testing, and help you understand what results would mean for you and your relatives.
Do I have to have counseling before testing?
It is generally recommended. Counseling helps make sure the right test is chosen and that you understand what the results could mean before you decide. It also helps you give informed consent, which means agreeing to the test after learning its purpose, risks, and benefits.
What happens during a counseling session?
The counselor will usually ask detailed questions about which relatives had cancer, what types, and at what ages. They will discuss whether testing is appropriate, which test fits your situation, and the possible results. They also cover the emotional side and what results might mean for family members.
Is there counseling after testing too?
Often yes, especially if a harmful change is found. After-test counseling helps you understand a positive, negative, or uncertain result, plan next steps like screening or prevention, and think through how and whether to share the information with relatives.
How do I find a genetic counselor?
Ask your doctor or care team for a referral to a genetic counselor or another health professional experienced in cancer genetics. The NCI Cancer Information Service (1-800-4-CANCER) can also answer questions.
Will counseling tell me if I'll get cancer?
No. Genetic counseling and testing deal with risk, not certainty. Even a positive result means an increased chance of certain cancers, not that cancer will definitely happen. Counseling helps you understand and manage that risk.
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Last updated: 2026-10-16Next planned review: 2027-07-04
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Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and then compared with the sources listed on it, looking for statements those sources do not back up. That check is not a sentence-by-sentence record and can miss errors. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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