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Ovarian cancer: why genetic testing is offered to almost everyone | CION Cancer Clinics
Ovarian cancer is one of the few cancers where genetic testing is recommended for almost everyone diagnosed, regardless of age or family history. The diagnosis itself is the reason to test, partly because a confirmed fault can open up specific treatment options. This page explains what is checked, what happens after diagnosis, and what a negative result still tells 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.
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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 is genetic testing offered to almost everyone with ovarian cancer?
- Which genes does ovarian cancer testing usually cover?
- What happens after an ovarian cancer diagnosis?
- Terms that come up with ovarian cancer testing
- Criteria-based testing, versus universal testing
- Does everyone with ovarian cancer test positive?
- What people get wrong about ovarian cancer and genetics
- Common questions about ovarian cancer and genetic testing
No criteria to meet
Why is genetic testing offered to almost everyone with ovarian cancer?
Ovarian cancer is unusual among cancers in that genetic testing is now recommended for almost everyone diagnosed with it, regardless of age and regardless of family history. You do not need to meet a checklist of criteria the way you might for other cancers. The diagnosis itself is the reason to test.
Why this cancer is treated differently
An inherited fault explains a substantially higher share of ovarian cancer than it does of most other common cancers. That share is high enough that testing everyone, rather than only people who also have a striking family history, finds far more inherited faults than a criteria-based approach would.
It changes treatment, not only future risk
For ovarian cancer specifically, a confirmed inherited fault can open up treatment options that would not otherwise be available, decided jointly by your oncologist. This is one of the clearest examples in cancer care of a genetic result changing care for the person who is already ill, not only for relatives.
Universal testing means every woman with epithelial ovarian cancer, not a subgroup selected by age or family history.What is actually checked
Which genes does ovarian cancer testing usually cover?
A panel test checks several genes from one blood sample, rather than one gene in isolation.
The two genes checked first
A pair of well-studied genes, closely linked to both breast and ovarian cancer, are usually the first checked, because together they explain the largest share of inherited ovarian cancer.
The DNA mismatch repair genes
A separate group of genes, linked to a hereditary bowel and womb cancer syndrome, also raises ovarian cancer risk and is usually included on the same panel.
Other, rarer genes on the panel
Laboratories often include several additional genes with a weaker but still recognised link to ovarian cancer, so one test can answer several questions at once.
Tumour testing, separately
Some centres also test the tumour tissue itself for a related change that is not inherited but can still guide certain treatments. This is a separate question from the inherited test.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistWhat happens next
What happens after an ovarian cancer diagnosis?
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Diagnosis and staging are confirmed
Your oncology team confirms the type and extent of the cancer before treatment planning begins.
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Genetic counselling is offered as routine
This does not wait for a family history conversation. It is offered because of the diagnosis itself.
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A blood sample is taken for panel testing
Many centres arrange this early, so a result can inform treatment decisions rather than only future planning.
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Results are discussed with your full treatment team
Your oncologist and genetic counsellor explain together what the result means for your specific treatment options.
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Relatives are offered testing if a fault is confirmed
Sisters, daughters and other close relatives can be tested for the exact fault found in you.
Words on your report
Terms that come up with ovarian cancer testing
- Epithelial ovarian cancer
- The most common type of ovarian cancer, arising from the surface layer of the ovary. This is the type universal testing guidance covers.
- Panel testing
- Checking several genes at once from a single blood sample.
- Mismatch repair genes
- A group of genes responsible for correcting small copying errors in DNA. A fault in this group is linked to a hereditary bowel and womb cancer syndrome that also raises ovarian cancer risk.
- Germline fault
- Present in every cell from birth, and inheritable, unlike a change found only inside the tumour.
- Targeted treatment
- A treatment chosen because it specifically exploits a known fault, rather than a general chemotherapy approach.
- Genetic counsellor
- The specialist who arranges the test and explains what the result means for treatment and for relatives.
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Side by side
Criteria-based testing, versus universal testing
Most other cancers
Ovarian cancer
Testing depends on age or family history
Testing is offered regardless of age or family history
A checklist decides who is referred
The diagnosis itself is the referral
A negative family history can mean testing is skipped
An unremarkable family history changes nothing about the offer
Results mainly guide future risk
Results can also guide current treatment choices
Being straight with you
Does everyone with ovarian cancer test positive?
No. Most women tested still test negative for every gene on the panel. Universal testing is offered because the odds of finding a fault are far higher than in most other cancers, not because a fault is expected in every case. A negative result is still a useful, informative outcome.
A negative result does not undo the reason to test
Even a negative result closes a genuine question for you and your relatives, and rules out the specific treatment options that depend on a confirmed fault. It does not mean the testing was wasted.
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you what your own result will show, or interpret a report you may already be holding. That is a conversation for the genetic counsellor working alongside your oncology team.
If you have ovarian cancer and have not been offered genetic testing, ask your oncologist directly — it should be offered as routine.Commonly believed
What people get wrong about ovarian cancer and genetics
"I'm past menopause, so this isn't genetic in my case."
Universal testing guidance applies regardless of age at diagnosis. Older age does not rule out an inherited fault the way it might be assumed to for other cancers.
"No one in my family has had ovarian or breast cancer, so testing is pointless."
A fault can appear for the first time in one person, and this is exactly why testing is offered to everyone rather than only to people with a striking family history.
"Genetic testing is just for my daughters' future, not for me."
For ovarian cancer specifically, a confirmed fault can open up treatment options for you right now, not only affect future decisions for relatives.
"If the tumour test is negative, I don't need the blood test too."
Tumour testing and inherited blood testing answer different questions. A negative tumour result does not rule out an inherited fault found through a separate blood sample.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about ovarian cancer and genetic testing
Do I really need testing if there's no cancer in my family at all?
Yes. Ovarian cancer is one of the few cancers where testing is recommended regardless of family history, because a fault can arise for the first time in one person and still be found on testing.
Will a genetic result change my current treatment?
It can. A confirmed inherited fault sometimes opens up specific treatment options for ovarian cancer that would not otherwise be available. Your oncologist will discuss this with you directly.
Is the tumour test the same as the genetic blood test?
No. Tumour testing looks at the cancer cells only and can guide treatment without telling you whether the fault is inherited. The blood test checks every cell in your body and is what tells your family whether a fault can be passed on.
What if I'm already older and past childbearing age?
Testing is still recommended. Age does not change the recommendation for ovarian cancer, and a result can still matter for treatment choices and for relatives at any age.
How soon after diagnosis should testing happen?
As early as practical, often alongside initial treatment planning, since a result can influence which treatments are considered. Your team will advise on timing for your specific case.
Which relatives should be told if I test positive?
Sisters, daughters and other close relatives on both sides of the family can be tested for the exact fault found in you. Your genetic counsellor can help you decide who to approach and how.
Does a negative result mean I definitely won't need further testing later?
Not necessarily. Genetic knowledge grows over time, and some centres recontact people if new genes become relevant. Ask your counsellor how you would be informed of any update.
Where do I start?
Ask your treating oncologist for a referral to genetic counselling, ideally soon after diagnosis. If you are unsure, call the CION helpline and describe your diagnosis.
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)
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Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Genetics of Breast and Gynecologic Cancers
- NCCN — NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Genetic Testing for Hereditary Cancer
- GeneReviews (NCBI) — BRCA1/2 Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer
- ESMO — Clinical Practice Guidelines: Ovarian Cancer
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
Triple negative breast cancer and testing criteriaThe same gene fault raises risk in both cancersCancer in both breasts, both kidneys or both eyesAnother pattern where testing does not wait for family historyTesting criteria explained without the jargonSee the full list of what counts, in plain languageWhat a genetic counsellor doesWhat happens at the appointment your oncologist refers you to
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