Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
What each type of inherited cancer test costs | CION Cancer Clinics
The cost of genetic testing depends mostly on which test you need. A test for a fault already found in a relative is the cheapest, a broad panel costs more, and the widest tests are rarely needed for cancer risk. This page explains the four main types, gives indicative price ranges in rupees, and shows which test usually fits which family situation. 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
- Why do different genetic tests cost such different amounts?
- What are the main types of inherited cancer test?
- What does each type of test usually cost?
- The words on a test price list, in plain language
- Which test usually fits which situation?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Four things families assume about test prices
- Common questions about the cost of each test
The short answer
Why do different genetic tests cost such different amounts?
The price mostly follows how much of your DNA the lab has to read. A test for one fault already found in a relative is the cheapest. A test of two genes sits in the middle, a broad panel costs more, and the widest tests cost the most and are rarely needed for cancer risk.
The type matters more than the lab
Families often compare labs before they know which test they need. That is the wrong way round. Once your counsellor has chosen the type of test, prices between accredited labs usually fall within a narrower band. Choosing the wrong type is the expensive mistake.
The first test in a family costs the most
Usually the relative who already has cancer is tested first, with a broader test. If a fault is found, everyone else can be tested for that one change at a fraction of the price. If nothing is found, most well relatives do not need testing at all.
One well-chosen test on the right person often saves the family several tests later.Four kinds of test
What are the main types of inherited cancer test?
Each one reads a different amount of your DNA, so each one suits a different situation.
Known-fault test
Looks only for the single change already found in a relative. It is quick to read and the result is usually clear: you either carry that change or you do not.
Usually suits
- Brothers, sisters, children and parents of a carrier
Targeted gene test
Reads a small set of genes chosen for one cancer, such as the two BRCA genes. It was the standard test for years and is still used where the family pattern points clearly one way.
Multigene panel
Reads a larger group of cancer-risk genes at once. It is now the most common first test for someone who already has cancer and a suggestive family history.
More genes also means more uncertain results to explain.Exome or genome-based test
Reads most or all of your genes. It is rarely the right first test for cancer risk and is usually kept for unusual families after narrower tests have found nothing.
Indicative cost
What does each type of test usually cost?
These are broad ranges seen across laboratories and hospitals, not quotes. Your own figure depends on the lab, the gene list and what is bundled in.
₹3,000 – ₹8,000
Known-fault test for a relative
Looks for one change only, so it is much cheaper per person.
₹8,000 – ₹20,000
Targeted test of a few genes
For example, a test limited to the two BRCA genes.
₹12,000 – ₹30,000
Multigene cancer panel
The usual first test for the relative who already has cancer.
₹25,000 – ₹50,000
Exome-based testing
Rarely needed for cancer risk alone.
Indicative only. Prices vary widely between labs and hospitals, change over time and may or may not include counselling and sample collection. Stand-alone genetic tests are often not covered by insurance or government schemes. Call the helpline for an estimate against your own situation.
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On the price list
The words on a test price list, in plain language
- Single-site test
- Another name for a known-fault test. It checks one spot in one gene for the change found in a relative.
- Panel
- A set of genes read together. The lab chooses the name, so always ask for the list of genes behind it.
- Deletion and duplication analysis
- A check for whole missing or extra pieces of a gene. Some price lists include it and some charge it separately.
- Exome
- The parts of all your genes that carry instructions. Reading it is broad and costly, and it produces many uncertain findings.
- Germline
- Present in every cell from birth, and therefore inheritable. Every test on this page is a germline test.
- Somatic
- Found only inside the tumour. Tumour testing is a separate service with separate prices.
Side by side
Which test usually fits which situation?
Your situation
The test usually offered
A relative already has a known fault
Known-fault test for that one change
Breast or ovarian cancer in the family, nobody tested
A panel on the affected relative first
Several cancer types across the family
A broader multigene panel
Unusual pattern, earlier tests found nothing
Broader testing, discussed with a counsellor
Choosing a medicine for a tumour
Tumour testing, a different service
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you which test you need. That depends on who in the family has had cancer, which cancers, at what age, and whether anyone has been tested before. A genetic counsellor works that out from your family tree, and the answer decides the price far more than any lab does.
It cannot give you a firm figure
The ranges above are broad on purpose. Labs change prices, run offers and bundle different extras. Some tests are sponsored for particular cancers. Only a written quote for a named test tells you what you will actually pay.
Who this does not apply to
Most people do not need an inherited cancer test at all. If your family has one relative diagnosed at an older age and no pattern of young or rare cancers, none of these prices may apply to you. Tumour testing to choose a medicine is covered on the targeted therapy pages.
Commonly believed
Four things families assume about test prices
"Everyone in the family should have the full panel."
Usually only the first person does. Once a fault is known, relatives need the much cheaper known-fault test. Buying the full panel for each person wastes money and adds confusing results.
"The widest test is the safest choice."
Wider tests find more uncertain changes, which can cause worry and wrong decisions. The right test is the one that fits your family, not the one that reads the most.
"A BRCA test covers every inherited breast cancer."
Other genes can also raise breast cancer risk. Whether they should be read depends on your family pattern, and your counsellor will say if a panel is the better choice.
"The tumour test we already paid for answers this."
A tumour test looks at changes in the cancer. It may hint at an inherited fault, but it cannot confirm one. A separate blood or saliva test is needed for that.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about the cost of each test
Which genetic test is cheapest?
The known-fault test, used when a relative has already been found to carry a particular change. It only checks that one spot, so it costs far less than a panel. It is only useful once a fault has been found in the family.
Why not just do the cheapest test?
Because the cheapest test only answers one narrow question. If nobody in the family has been tested, there is no known fault to look for. The first test has to be broad enough to find the fault, which is why it costs more.
Is a BRCA-only test enough to save money?
Sometimes. Where the family pattern points clearly to those two genes, a targeted test can be reasonable. Where the pattern is mixed, a panel may give a more useful answer for a modest extra cost. Your counsellor will advise which fits.
Does the price include counselling?
Some labs and hospitals include a session before and after the test, and some charge it separately. Ask before paying. A test without anyone to explain the result is poor value at any price.
Is tumour testing priced the same way?
No. Tumour testing looks for changes in the cancer to help choose a medicine, and it is priced separately. It is a different test with a different purpose, covered on the targeted therapy pages rather than here.
Will insurance pay for any of these tests?
Stand-alone genetic tests are often not covered, though policies differ and some cover testing that directly guides treatment. Ask your insurer in writing before testing, and ask the lab or hospital for an itemised bill in case a claim is possible.
Do children cost less to test?
The price depends on the test, not the age. For faults that raise risk only in adult life, testing usually waits until the child is an adult and can decide. Your counsellor will say whether your family is an exception.
How do I find out which test I need?
Write down who in the family had cancer, which type and at roughly what age. Take that list to a genetic counsellor or your oncologist, or call the CION helpline. Someone will tell you which test is likely and roughly what it costs.
What moves the figure
What affects the cost
Four things change the total more than anything else.
The technique used
A shaped or image-guided delivery costs more than a conventional one, and is chosen on clinical grounds rather than preference.
How many sessions
The total is driven by the number of sittings or cycles, not by a single per-visit figure.
Supporting tests
Scans, blood work and pathology done alongside treatment are billed separately.
Your cover
Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS or cashless insurance usually change the out-of-pocket figure substantially.
Paying for it
Insurance, schemes and payment
What you actually pay usually differs a great deal from the sticker figure.
AarogyasriEmpanelled. Bring the card and a referral where you have one.
CGHS / ECHS / EHSAccepted at CION centres for eligible treatment.
Cashless insuranceMost major insurers are empanelled. Pre-authorisation is handled by our desk.
Self-payItemised estimate given before treatment starts. No EMI scheme exists.
Accreditation and empanelment
- NABH
- NABL
- ISO 9001:2015
- ArogyaSri empanelled
- CGHS accepted
- ECHS accepted
- EHS accepted
- Major cashless insurers
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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Where to find us
Our centres in and around Hyderabad
Addressed by landmark, because that is how this city navigates. One helpline books a consultation at any of these centres, and your team will tell you where counselling and testing take place.
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Sources
- MedlinePlus Genetics — What is the cost of genetic testing, and how long does it take to get the results?
- National Cancer Institute — Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes
- NHS — Predictive genetic tests for cancer risk genes
- Cancer Research UK — Inherited cancer genes and increased cancer risk
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
Talk to us
Not sure which test your family actually needs?
Tell us who in the family was diagnosed, with what and at roughly what age. We will tell you which test is likely and what it usually costs. One helpline serves every CION centre.