Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Do you need a referral for genetic counselling? | CION Cancer Clinics
Usually not. Most clinics in India will see you for genetic counselling without a referral letter, whether you have cancer or are worried about your family history. A letter from your oncologist still helps, because it brings your diagnosis and reports with you. This page explains who can refer you, what a referral letter should say, and when booking directly is perfectly fine. 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
- Do you need a referral to see a genetic counsellor?
- Who can refer you for genetic counselling?
- How does a referral work, step by step?
- The referral words, in plain language
- Coming with a letter, or coming on your own
- Four things people assume about referral
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about referral
The short answer
Do you need a referral to see a genetic counsellor?
Usually not. Most clinics in India will see you without a referral letter if you ask for genetic counselling yourself. A letter from your oncologist still helps, because it tells the counsellor what is already known and saves you repeating it.
When a referral letter makes a real difference
If you already have cancer, your oncologist holds the details the counsellor needs: the type of cancer, how it looked under the microscope, and any tumour tests already done. A short letter with those facts means the first session starts at the right place. It also means the two of them can plan together if the result changes your treatment.
When booking directly is perfectly fine
If you are well and worried about your family history, you can simply book. You do not need a doctor's permission to ask whether your family's pattern is worth a closer look. The counsellor will tell you honestly if it is not.
What the clinic may ask before booking you
Expect a few short questions on the phone. Who in the family had cancer, what kind, and roughly how old they were. Whether anyone has already had a genetic test. These questions are not a gate. They help the clinic decide how long the appointment should be, and whether the relative with cancer should come first.
Referral is about sharing information, not about getting permission.Four routes in
Who can refer you for genetic counselling?
There is more than one door. Each one brings slightly different information with it.
Your oncologist or surgeon
The most common route for someone already being treated. They know your diagnosis and can send reports straight across.
Most useful when
- A result could change surgery or medicines
- You were diagnosed at a young age
- You have had two separate cancers
Your family doctor or gynaecologist
A good route for someone who is well but has a worrying family history. They can write down what they already know about you and your relatives.
Yourself
Self-referral is common and accepted. Call, describe your family history, and ask whether an appointment makes sense. Bring whatever records you can find, even old discharge papers or a relative's prescription.
A relative's family letter
If a relative has already been found to carry a fault, their counsellor may give them a letter to share. That letter works as a referral. Bring it, because it names the exact fault you can be tested for.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistWhat usually happens
How does a referral work, step by step?
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Someone raises the question
It might be your oncologist, your family doctor, or you. The trigger is usually a young diagnosis, several relatives with cancer, or a relative's positive result.
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Basic details are passed on
A referral letter lists your diagnosis if you have one, relevant reports and why genetic counselling is being asked for. If you are self-referring, you give these details when you book.
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The clinic checks what is needed first
Someone may call to ask about your family history, or ask you to collect a few details about relatives before the appointment. This makes the first session far more useful.
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You meet the counsellor
The first session covers your family tree, whether testing is likely to help, and which person in the family should be tested first.
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Your doctor is kept informed
With your agreement, a summary goes back to whoever referred you. That way the counselling and the rest of your care stay joined up.
Words you may hear
The referral words, in plain language
- Referral letter
- A short note from a doctor explaining who you are, what is known about your health, and why counselling is being asked for.
- Self-referral
- Booking the appointment yourself, without a doctor's letter. It is allowed and common.
- Proband
- The first person in a family to be assessed. Often it is the relative who already has cancer.
- Family letter
- A letter given to someone found to carry a fault, to pass on to relatives. It names the fault so others can be tested for it.
- Pedigree
- Your family tree drawn on paper with a standard set of symbols. It shows who had cancer, of what kind, and at what age.
- Pre-test counselling
- The conversation before any test, covering what it can and cannot tell you. It happens whether or not you were referred.
Leave a number, we will call you
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Side by side
Coming with a letter, or coming on your own
With a referral letter
Booking directly
Your diagnosis and reports arrive with you
You bring whatever reports you have
Your doctor can act quickly on the result
You share the result with your doctor yourself
Less repeating of your history
More questions in the first session
Some schemes or insurers may ask for it
Check scheme or insurer rules before booking
Commonly believed
Four things people assume about referral
"I cannot go unless my doctor sends me."
You can. Anyone worried about their family history can ask for genetic counselling. Your doctor's letter is helpful, but it is not a condition of being seen.
"If my doctor has not mentioned it, I must not need it."
Busy clinics do not always ask about the whole family. If you know of young diagnoses or several relatives with cancer, raise it yourself. It is a reasonable question to ask.
"A referral means the doctor thinks I have a gene fault."
It means the question is worth asking. Many people who are referred turn out not to need testing, or test negative. A referral is a check, not a verdict.
"My relative's family letter is only for them."
It is written to be shared. It names the exact fault found, which lets relatives be tested for that one fault.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you whether your family history is worth an appointment. That depends on who was diagnosed, with what, and how young they were. A short phone conversation with a clinic is the quickest way to find out.
It cannot tell you what your insurer or scheme needs
Rules differ between insurers and between government schemes such as Aarogyasri and Ayushman Bharat. If you hope to use either, ask them before booking what paperwork they expect, and whether genetic tests are covered at all.
Who this does not apply to
Most people do not need genetic counselling. One relative diagnosed at an older age, with no pattern of young or rare cancers, usually does not call for it. Tumour testing to guide treatment is also a separate question, covered under targeted therapy, and is arranged by your oncologist.
If you are unsure, describe your family history to the helpline and ask whether a referral is worth it.Questions we are asked
Common questions about referral
Can I book genetic counselling without a doctor's letter?
Yes. Self-referral is common and accepted. When you call, describe who in the family had cancer and at what age. The clinic will tell you whether an appointment is likely to help, and what to bring with you.
What should a referral letter say?
Your diagnosis if you have one, the main reports, any tumour tests already done and why counselling is being asked for. It does not need to be long. A clear half page from your doctor saves a lot of time in the first session.
My oncologist has not suggested it. Should I ask?
Yes, if your diagnosis came young or several relatives have had cancer. It is a fair question. Your oncologist may explain why it is not needed, or may be glad you raised it and write the letter.
Do I need a referral to be tested for my relative's fault?
Usually not, but bring your relative's family letter or a copy of their report. That tells the counsellor exactly which fault to look for. Without it, the laboratory may have to run a much broader test.
Will my doctor be told what happens?
Only with your agreement. Most people are happy for a summary to go to the doctor who referred them, so their care stays joined up. You can ask for results to be shared only with you if you prefer.
Does a referral make the appointment cheaper?
Not by itself. The fee depends on the clinic and on any test that follows. Some insurers and schemes have their own rules about paperwork, so check with them before booking if you are hoping for cover.
Can I refer my parent or sibling?
You can help them book, and many adult children do. The appointment and the consent still belong to the person being counselled. Where possible, the relative who already has cancer is the best person to be seen first.
What if I live far from Hyderabad?
Ask whether the first conversation can happen by phone or video. Your local doctor can send reports ahead of time. If a blood sample is needed, it may be possible to arrange it closer to home.
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 find a genetic counselor?
- MedlinePlus Genetics — What is genetic counseling?
- National Cancer Institute — Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes
- NHS — Predictive genetic tests for cancer risk genes
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
Booking a genetic counselling appointmentThe practical steps once you decide to goWhat to bring to your first appointmentReports and family details that save timeHow to find a genetic counsellor in IndiaWhere to look and what to askYour family letter and what to do with itUsing a relative's letter as your way in
Talk to us
Not sure whether you need a referral?
Describe your family history to us and we will tell you honestly whether an appointment is worth booking. One helpline serves every CION centre.