Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
How to choose a laboratory for inherited cancer testing | CION Cancer Clinics
Usually your oncologist or genetic counsellor chooses the laboratory, and your job is to check a few things before you pay. The lab should be accredited, test the right genes for your family and classify results to a recognised standard. This page sets out what separates a reliable laboratory from a merely cheap one, the questions worth asking, and what it cannot decide for you. At CION Cancer Clinics in Hyderabad, our oncologists review your family history with you and guide you to the right genetic counselling and testing.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- What makes one genetic lab better than another?
- What should you check before choosing a laboratory?
- How do you choose a lab if the decision is yours?
- The words laboratories use, in plain language
- What a careful lab does, and what should make you pause
- What this page cannot tell you
- Four things families assume about genetic labs
- Common questions about choosing a genetic lab
The short answer
What makes one genetic lab better than another?
A good laboratory is accredited, tests the genes that match your family history, and writes results your counsellor can act on. Price matters, but it is the last thing to compare, not the first. Two labs can both sell a "breast cancer panel" and test quite different things.
Most families do not choose alone
In most cases the oncologist or genetic counsellor who orders the test already works with one or two laboratories they trust. They know how those labs report, how quickly they answer questions and whether their results hold up. Your role is to understand the choice and ask about cost, not to shop from scratch.
When the choice is yours
You may be choosing yourself if you were handed a list, if cost is a real barrier, or if a relative is being tested in another city. Then the checks below matter. They take one phone call, and they can save a repeat test later.
An inherited test is usually done once in a lifetime. It is worth getting right the first time.Four things to check
What should you check before choosing a laboratory?
These four checks separate a laboratory you can rely on from one that is simply cheaper.
Accreditation
Look for NABL accreditation that covers the genetic tests themselves, not only the lab's routine blood work. Some labs also hold CAP accreditation. Both mean an outside body inspects how the lab works.
- Ask for the certificate number
- Check that molecular genetics is in its scope
The right genes
The panel should cover the genes linked to the cancers in your family. A bigger panel is not automatically better. More genes means more uncertain findings that someone then has to explain.
How results are classified
Variants should be classified using the ACMG standard, the international rulebook for deciding whether a change is harmful. The report should say which class was given and why.
What comes with the price
Check whether counselling before and after the test is included, whether a positive finding is confirmed by a second method, and whether relatives can later be tested for the same fault at a lower price.
A low price that leaves out counselling is not a saving.Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistStep by step
How do you choose a lab if the decision is yours?
Start with the person ordering the test
Ask which laboratory they recommend and why. If they have a reason, such as clear reports or quick answers to questions, that counts for more than a small price difference.
Ask for two written quotes
Each quote should name the test, list the genes and say what is included. A quote that gives only a price and a panel name is hard to compare.
Check the accreditation and a sample report
Look up the accreditation, and ask to see a sample report with personal details removed. A clear report shows the lab writes for doctors and families, not only for itself.
Confirm who explains the result
Before paying, find out who will sit with you when the result comes back. A result without a conversation leaves families guessing, and guessing is where the harm happens.
On the lab's website
The words laboratories use, in plain language
- NABL
- India's national accreditation body for laboratories. Accreditation means outside assessors have checked the lab's methods and quality.
- CAP
- The College of American Pathologists, which accredits laboratories in many countries through inspection and regular checks of their results.
- Germline test
- A test for faults present from birth in every cell, usually from blood or saliva. This is the test this section of the site covers.
- Deletion and duplication analysis
- A check for whole missing or extra pieces of a gene, which standard reading of the gene can miss. Ask whether it is included.
- Confirmation testing
- Rechecking a positive finding with a second method before the report is released.
- Reanalysis
- Looking again at your stored data as knowledge grows. Some labs do this on request and some charge for it.
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Side by side
What a careful lab does, and what should make you pause
A careful laboratory
A laboratory to question
Names every gene tested on the report
Gives only a panel name
Explains how each variant was classified
Gives a result with no reasoning
Includes or arranges genetic counselling
Sends the report with no discussion
Answers a doctor's questions after the result
Is hard to reach once you have paid
Offers a cheaper known-fault test for relatives
Asks every relative to buy the full panel
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you which named laboratory to use. Prices and quality change, and this page does not rank labs. The counsellor or oncologist ordering your test knows which labs report clearly for your kind of family history, and that knowledge is worth more than any comparison online.
It cannot judge a result you already have
If a test has been done and you doubt the lab, do not repeat it straight away. Bring the report to a genetic counsellor first. Many reports are sound and simply need explaining. What your specific variant means is a question for the counsellor who ordered the test.
Who this does not apply to
Most people do not need an inherited cancer test at all, so they never need to choose a laboratory. If your question is about testing the tumour itself to choose a medicine, that is a different test, covered on the targeted therapy pages.
Commonly believed
Four things families assume about genetic labs
"The most expensive lab must be the most accurate."
Price reflects brand, panel size and what is bundled in. An accredited lab at a modest price can be just as reliable. Compare what is included before you compare the figure.
"A bigger panel finds more, so it is always better."
A bigger panel finds more uncertain changes as well as real ones. Your counsellor picks a panel that fits your family, and a focused test is often the right one.
"A lab abroad is always better than one in India."
Several Indian laboratories are accredited and report to international standards. Sending a sample abroad adds cost and delay without always adding accuracy.
"An online test kit can do the same job."
Ancestry and wellness kits read a small number of spots in the DNA. They can miss faults a clinical test would find, and they are not meant for treatment decisions.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about choosing a genetic lab
Does CION choose the laboratory for me?
Usually the doctor or counsellor ordering the test recommends a laboratory they already work with and explains why. You can ask about alternatives, especially if cost is a concern. What matters most is that the lab is accredited and that someone qualified goes through the result with you.
Is NABL accreditation enough on its own?
It is the first thing to check, but not the only one. Make sure the accreditation covers molecular genetic testing, not only routine blood tests. Then ask which genes are covered, how results are classified and whether counselling is included.
Can a relative use a cheaper lab for their test?
It is usually better to test relatives at the lab that found the original fault. That lab knows the exact change and can look for it directly, which is quicker and often cheaper. If another lab is used, send it a copy of the original report.
Should I send my sample to a laboratory abroad?
It is rarely necessary. Accredited Indian laboratories run the same kinds of test. A sample sent abroad costs more, takes longer and can make follow-up questions harder. Your counsellor will tell you if a rare test is only available outside India.
What if two labs classify my variant differently?
It happens, especially with uncertain changes. Do not pick the answer you prefer. Take both reports to a genetic counsellor, who can compare the evidence each lab used. What your specific variant means is a question for the counsellor who ordered the test.
How do I know the lab tested the right genes?
The report should list every gene tested, and your counsellor can check that list against your family history. If a gene that matters for your family is missing, ask whether it can be added before paying for a whole new test.
Does the lab keep my DNA and data?
Most labs store the sample and the data for a time, and research use should need your consent. Read the consent form and ask who can see your data, how long it is kept and whether you can ask for it to be destroyed.
Who can I ask if I am unsure about a laboratory?
Call the CION helpline and describe the test you have been offered and the lab named on the quote. Someone will tell you whether the checks on this page are met, or put you in touch with a genetic counsellor.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's oncologists. Bring your family history or genetic report to them.
Our medical oncologists see people with a strong family history of cancer, arrange genetic counselling and testing where it fits, and plan the checks that follow.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
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Sources
- MedlinePlus Genetics — How can I be sure a genetic test is valid and useful?
- National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories — NABL
- American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics — Standards and guidelines for the interpretation of sequence variants
- National Cancer Institute — Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
NABL and CAP accreditation: what they meanWhat the certificates actually checkQuestions to ask a laboratory before testingA ready list to take to the phone callComparing two quotes for the same testHow to line up prices fairlyDoes a cheaper test mean a worse test?When a lower price is fine and when it is not
Talk to us
Been handed a list of labs and not sure which to pick?
Tell us which test you have been offered and which laboratories are on the list. We will explain the differences in plain terms and put you in touch with a genetic counsellor if you need one. One helpline serves every CION centre.