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If breast or ovarian cancer runs in your family, a genetic counsellor helps you understand your real risk before you decide on any test. At CION Cancer Clinics in Hyderabad, our tumour-board-led team walks you through a calm, 45-minute conversation — your family history, whether testing makes sense, who to test first, and what every result truly means for you and your loved ones.
Genetic counselling for breast cancer is a structured conversation — not a test — that helps you understand whether an inherited gene change may be raising your cancer risk, and what to do about it. A trained cancer genetic counsellor reviews your personal and family health history, explains how hereditary risk works, and helps you make an informed, unpressured decision about whether genetic testing is right for you. About 5–10% of breast cancers are linked to an inherited gene change such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 (ISMPO Consensus, Indian Society of Medical & Pediatric Oncology).
At CION, your first session runs the full 45 minutes our consultations always do. Nothing is rushed and nothing is decided for you.
We map your family tree, assess your risk, and explain the benefits and limits of testing — including emotional, financial and privacy aspects — before any sample is taken.
If you decide to proceed, testing is a simple blood or saliva sample. No hospital stay is needed and results usually take about 2 weeks.
We sit with you to explain the result in plain language, what it means for your screening or treatment, and how it may affect your relatives.
Many people meet a counsellor and decide testing is not needed right now. That is a valid, complete outcome — counselling stands on its own.
Only about 5–10% of breast cancers are hereditary — caused by an inherited gene change such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. That means the great majority of breast cancers are not passed down through families. Genetic counselling helps the smaller group who do carry a family pattern find out clearly, so they and their relatives can act early. Source: ISMPO Consensus (Indian Society of Medical & Pediatric Oncology) / NCCN.
You do not need a diagnosis to benefit from genetic counselling — you only need a reason to ask the question. Based on NCCN criteria adopted in the Indian ISMPO consensus, a genetic counsellor is worth seeing if any of the points below apply to you or a close blood relative. If you are unsure, that uncertainty is itself a good reason to book a free consultation and let our team tell you whether testing is warranted.
A personal or family diagnosis of breast cancer at or before age 45 — or at 46–50 with another breast/ovarian cancer in the family.
Triple-negative breast cancer diagnosed at age 60 or younger is a recognised trigger for genetic evaluation.
Any ovarian, fallopian-tube or primary peritoneal cancer in you or a close relative — at any age.
Breast cancer in a male relative is rare and often hereditary, and is a clear reason to seek counselling.
Several relatives on the same side with breast, ovarian, pancreatic or prostate cancer, especially diagnosed before 50.
If a relative has already tested positive for a BRCA or other inherited cancer gene change, you should be counselled about your own risk.
The single most important tool in genetic counselling is your family history. Before any test is even discussed, your counsellor builds a three-generation pedigree — a structured map of who in your family has had cancer, what type, and at what age, on both your mother's and father's side. This is where risk really becomes visible.
It helps to gather a few details before your visit so the picture is as accurate as possible. Even partial information is useful — we work with what you have.
For each affected relative we note the cancer type and the age at diagnosis — early-onset cancers carry more weight in risk assessment.
Hereditary breast cancer risk can be inherited from your father's side too, so we map maternal and paternal lines equally.
Your counsellor uses validated risk models alongside NCCN/ISMPO criteria to estimate the chance an inherited gene change is involved.
Your own age, any previous biopsies, and your own cancer history (if any) all feed into the assessment.
CION Cancer Clinics is a woman-headed, tumour-board-led organisation built on one promise — decisions for healing, not billing. For something as sensitive as inherited cancer risk, that matters. Every recommendation about whether to test, who to test, and what to do next is reviewed by a multi-disciplinary panel, not made on a single opinion.
Our 17 super-specialist oncologists bring more than 150 years of combined experience across medical, surgical and radiation oncology.
Your genetic risk and any test result are reviewed by a panel of specialists together — not one doctor in isolation.
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We explain costs upfront and never recommend a test you do not need — the first consultation is free for all cancer patients.
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Genetic testing is a choice, not an obligation — and the order in which a family tests is just as important as the test itself. The single most useful principle in hereditary breast cancer is this: test the affected person first. If someone in your family has already had breast or ovarian cancer, especially at a young age, they are the most informative person to test, because they are the most likely to carry a detectable gene change.
If a mutation is found in that affected relative, testing the rest of the family becomes far more accurate and often less expensive — everyone else only needs to be checked for that one specific change. Children are not tested before age 18.
The ideal first person to test is a family member already affected by early breast or ovarian cancer — they are most likely to carry an identifiable mutation, which makes everyone else's testing clearer.
Once a specific mutation is identified, relatives can be tested just for that change. Each first-degree relative has a 1-in-2 (50%) chance of carrying the same gene change.
If no affected relative can be tested, an unaffected person can still be tested — but the counsellor will explain that a negative result is harder to interpret in that situation.
Some people choose to be counselled and not test, or to test later. Your counsellor supports whatever choice fits your life — there is no pressure either way.
A genetic test does not tell you whether you have cancer — it tells you whether you carry an inherited gene change that affects your future risk. Results fall into three categories, and your counsellor will walk you through exactly what yours means. Roughly 10% of BRCA results come back as a variant of uncertain significance (ISMPO consensus), so understanding this third category is important before you test.
A known harmful gene change was found. This means a higher lifetime risk of breast and/or ovarian cancer — but it is not a cancer diagnosis. It opens the door to enhanced screening, prevention options and, where cancer is already present, targeted therapies. Each first-degree relative has a 50% chance of carrying the same change.
No harmful gene change was detected. What this means depends on your history: if a relative has a known mutation and you do not carry it, your risk drops to about average. If no family mutation is known, a negative result is reassuring but does not rule out every hereditary cause, so screening advice still depends on your personal and family history.
A gene change was found, but science cannot yet say whether it raises risk. Most VUS results are eventually reclassified as harmless. Crucially, medical decisions are NOT based on a VUS — you are managed according to your family history, the same as someone with no mutation, until and unless the variant is reclassified.
The real value of genetic counselling is what happens after the result. A positive result is not a sentence — it is information that lets you and your relatives stay ahead of cancer with proven, personalised steps. At CION, every plan is shaped by our tumour board and your own preferences, and reviewed against current NCCN and ISMPO guidance.
Carriers may begin annual breast MRI from around age 25 and mammography from around age 30, with ovarian monitoring discussed where relevant — catching anything early when it is most treatable.
For some carriers, risk-reducing surgery (such as bilateral mastectomy, which lowers breast cancer risk by 90% or more) or risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy is discussed. These are choices, explained fully, never pushed.
If you already have breast or ovarian cancer, a BRCA result can unlock targeted therapies such as PARP inhibitors (olaparib, talazoparib) — making the test treatment-relevant, not just preventive.
A result is shared knowledge. It lets parents, siblings and children make informed choices about their own testing and screening — turning one test into protection for a whole family.
Cost is one of the most common worries — and we believe in being transparent about it. Genetic counselling at CION is part of your consultation; the first consultation is free for all cancer patients. Genetic testing, if you and your counsellor decide it is worthwhile, is a separate cost that depends on the type of test.
As a general guide for Hyderabad and India (industry ranges, not CION-specific pricing): a focused BRCA1/BRCA2 test typically falls between ₹10,000 and ₹30,000, while broader multi-gene hereditary cancer panels usually range from about ₹20,000 to ₹50,000+. We confirm the exact price for your recommended test before anything proceeds — no surprises.
You never pay for a test before understanding whether you need it. Counselling decides the right test for you — many people need a focused test, not the most expensive panel.
A targeted BRCA test costs less than a large multi-gene panel. Your counsellor recommends the narrowest test that answers your question — keeping cost down without losing accuracy.
Many insurers cover genetic testing when clinical criteria are met. Our team helps you check your cashless and TPA options before you commit.
We give you the test price in writing before proceeding, in keeping with our promise of transparent costs and decisions for healing, not billing.
From your first call to a clear plan, here is exactly how genetic counselling works at CION Cancer Clinics in Hyderabad. Every step is doctor-led, confidential, and reviewed by our tumour board — and it begins with a free consultation.
Call us or request a callback. Your first consultation is free for all cancer patients, and runs a full 45 minutes.
We map a three-generation pedigree and assess your inherited cancer risk against NCCN/ISMPO criteria.
If testing makes sense, we identify the right person to test first and confirm the cost before proceeding.
We interpret your result in plain language, set your personalised screening or treatment plan, and guide your family on their next steps.
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Start Your Story. Book Free Consultation.Genetic counselling for breast cancer is a structured conversation with a trained genetic counsellor who reviews your personal and family cancer history to assess whether an inherited gene change, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2, may be raising your risk. It is not a test itself — it helps you understand your risk and decide, without pressure, whether genetic testing is right for you. About 5–10% of breast cancers are hereditary. At CION, counselling is part of a free first consultation and runs a full 45 minutes.
Consider genetic counselling if you or a close blood relative had breast cancer at or before age 45, triple-negative breast cancer at 60 or younger, any ovarian cancer, or male breast cancer. Multiple relatives on one side with breast, ovarian, pancreatic or prostate cancer — especially before 50 — or a known family gene mutation are also reasons. You do not need a cancer diagnosis to benefit. If you are simply unsure about your family history, that is a good enough reason to book a free consultation and let our team advise you.
Genetic counselling at CION is part of your consultation, and the first consultation is free for all cancer patients. If testing is recommended, cost depends on the test: a focused BRCA1/BRCA2 test typically ranges from about ₹10,000 to ₹30,000, while a broader multi-gene hereditary cancer panel usually ranges from around ₹20,000 to ₹50,000 or more. These are general industry ranges for Hyderabad and India. We always confirm the exact price of your recommended test in writing before anything proceeds, and help you check insurance and cashless options.
The ideal first person to test is a relative who has already had breast or ovarian cancer, especially at a young age, because they are most likely to carry a detectable gene change. If a mutation is found in that affected relative, testing other family members becomes more accurate and often cheaper — everyone else only needs checking for that one specific change. If no affected relative can be tested, an unaffected person can still be tested, but a negative result is harder to interpret. Children are not tested before age 18.
After your blood or saliva sample is collected and sent to the laboratory, results for breast cancer genetic testing usually take about two weeks, though it can range from roughly 10 days to a few weeks depending on the test type and laboratory. You do not need a hospital stay for the sample. At CION, once results are ready we arrange a dedicated post-test counselling session to explain them in plain language and set your next steps — we never hand over a report without sitting down to interpret it with you.
A variant of uncertain significance, or VUS, means a gene change was found, but science cannot yet say whether it raises your cancer risk. Around 10% of BRCA results come back as a VUS. Importantly, medical decisions are not based on a VUS — you are managed according to your personal and family history, the same as someone with no mutation found. Most VUS results are eventually reclassified, usually as harmless, as more data accumulates. Your counsellor keeps a note to revisit the result if its classification changes in future.
No. A positive genetic test means you carry an inherited gene change that raises your future risk of breast or ovarian cancer — it is not a cancer diagnosis. Many carriers never develop cancer. A positive result is actually empowering: it lets you start enhanced screening (such as breast MRI), consider risk-reducing options, and inform relatives so they can be tested too. If you already have cancer, a positive BRCA result can also unlock targeted treatments such as PARP inhibitors. Our tumour board builds a personalised plan around your result and your wishes.
Yes. Genetic counselling at CION is private and doctor-led, and your information is handled confidentially. We understand that inherited cancer risk is sensitive — it touches your family, not just you — so discussions about your history, your decision to test or not, and your results stay between you and your care team. You decide who in your family to share results with. If you choose to involve relatives for cascade testing, we support that conversation, but the choice is always yours.