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What to send a relative: the family letter | CION Cancer Clinics
A family letter is a short, plain note telling a relative that an inherited gene fault has been found and that they can be tested for it. It carries the gene name and the exact fault, so their doctor can order the right test first time. This page explains what goes in the letter, what to leave out, and how to send it without starting a family argument. At CION Cancer Clinics, our team helps carriers and their families plan checks, next steps and support after a genetic result.
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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
- What is a family letter, and why send one?
- What should the family letter actually say?
- How do you send it without upsetting the family?
- What do the words in the letter mean?
- What to put in, and what to keep private
- Four worries about writing to relatives
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about the family letter
The short answer
What is a family letter, and why send one?
A family letter is a short note that tells a relative an inherited gene fault has been found in your family and that they may be able to have a test for it. It names the gene and the exact fault, so their own doctor can order the right test first time. You do not have to explain the science yourself. The letter does that for you.
Why the exact fault matters so much
A relative who is tested for the one fault already found in the family gets a far clearer answer than someone tested from scratch. The laboratory knows exactly where to look. If that detail is lost, the relative may be sent for a broad panel, wait longer, pay more and still receive a result that is harder to read.
Why a letter works better than a phone call
News like this gets changed as it passes from one person to the next. By the third phone call, the gene name is wrong and the advice has become "everybody must have surgery". A written letter, ideally drafted with your genetic counsellor, keeps the facts the same for everyone who reads it, including the doctor they eventually show it to.
The letter informs. It does not tell anyone what they must do.What goes in it
What should the family letter actually say?
A good letter fits on one page. It has four parts, and a relative should be able to act on it without calling you first.
The facts of the result
These are the details a doctor or laboratory needs. Copy them exactly from the report rather than retyping from memory.
Include
- The gene name, spelled as on the report
- The exact variant, letters and numbers included
- The laboratory that found it
- Which side of the family it is thought to come from
What it may mean for them
One or two plain sentences. They may have inherited the same fault, or they may not. Only a test can tell them which, and most relatives will have a fair chance of testing negative.
What they can do next
Point them to a genetic counsellor, a clinical geneticist or their own oncologist. Suggest they take the letter and a copy of the report with them.
Useful to add
- Where the original test was done
- A contact who can confirm the result
- That testing is their choice
What it does not mean
Say clearly that a fault in the family is not a cancer diagnosis for them. It is not a reason to panic and it does not mean anyone is to blame. That single line changes how the rest of the letter is read.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistStep by step
How do you send it without upsetting the family?
Ask your counsellor for a draft
Many genetics clinics prepare a standard letter after a positive result. Ask for one, and ask for a Telugu version if older relatives read Telugu more comfortably than English.
Start with the closest relatives
Parents, brothers, sisters and grown children come first. They have the highest chance of sharing the fault. Once they know, they can pass the letter on to their own branch of the family.
Talk first, then send
A short call or visit before the letter arrives softens the shock. Tell them something important is coming, that it is about a test result, and that it is not an emergency.
Send the whole report, not a cropped photo
On WhatsApp, send a clear PDF of the full report along with the letter. A cropped screenshot often cuts off the exact variant, which is the one line their doctor needs.
Check back after a while
Ask gently whether they have questions. Some relatives act at once. Others need time, and that is their right.
In the letter
What do the words in the letter mean?
- Gene
- One instruction in the body's manual. The letter names the gene where the fault was found.
- Pathogenic variant
- A change in that instruction known to raise cancer risk. It is what people usually mean by a gene fault or mutation.
- Cascade testing
- Offering a test to relatives one step at a time, closest first, once a fault is known in the family.
- First-degree relative
- A parent, brother, sister or child. Each shares half their genes with you, so they are told first.
- Predictive test
- A test in a healthy relative to see whether they carry the family's fault before any cancer appears.
- Variant of uncertain significance
- A change the laboratory cannot yet classify. A VUS is not usually a reason to write to relatives at all.
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Side by side
What to put in, and what to keep private
Put this in the letter
You can leave this out
The gene and the exact variant
Details of your own treatment or scans
Which side of the family it came from, if known
Guesses about who else might have it
Where they can get advice and a test
Advice on surgery or medicines for them
That testing is their own choice
Pressure, deadlines or blame
A copy of the laboratory report
Your other private medical records
Commonly believed
Four worries about writing to relatives
"Telling them will only frighten them."
Most relatives would rather know. A fault that is known can be watched for, and many relatives will test negative and be spared years of wondering. Silence does not remove the risk. It only removes their chance to act on it.
"It came from my mother's side, so my father's family need not know."
That is often correct, but only if the side has been confirmed by testing. If nobody is sure, both sides may need the letter. Ask your counsellor before you leave anyone out.
"If I send it, they will have to get tested."
No. The letter offers information and a route to advice. Every adult decides for themselves whether and when to test, and a counsellor will support either choice.
"The doctor will contact my relatives for me."
In India, the doctor usually cannot. Your result is confidential, and doctors rarely contact relatives directly. In practice, the letter only reaches them if you or someone you trust sends it.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you which relatives need the letter in your particular family. That depends on the gene, which side it came from, who has already been tested and who is still a child. A genetic counsellor can draw your family tree and mark exactly who should hear first.
It cannot interpret your report
The letter repeats what the report says. It does not explain what your specific variant means for you or for anyone else. That is a question for the counsellor who ordered the test, and relatives should hear it from their own counsellor too.
Who this does not apply to
If your result was negative, or showed only a variant of uncertain significance, you usually do not need to send a family letter at all. Relatives are then advised from the family history instead. Most people reading this will never need to write one.
If you are unsure whether your result means relatives should be told, ask your counsellor before sending anything.Questions we are asked
Common questions about the family letter
Who should write the family letter?
Ideally your genetic counsellor drafts it and you send it. That keeps the medical details accurate and puts the relationship in your hands. If no draft is offered, you can write one yourself using the headings on this page and ask the counsellor to check it.
Can I send the letter on WhatsApp?
Yes, and many families do. Send it as a clear document along with a full PDF of the report, not a cropped photo. For older relatives, a printed copy handed over in person is often kinder and easier to keep.
Should the letter be in Telugu or English?
Whichever the relative reads best. The gene name and the variant should stay exactly as printed on the report, in English, because that is what the laboratory will need. Everything around them can be in Telugu.
Do I have to tell my in-laws or my spouse's family?
Not for their own sake, because they are not blood relatives and cannot share your fault. Your spouse may still want to know, because your children could have inherited it. Who else hears is a private family decision.
What if a relative lives abroad?
Send the same letter and the full report. Genetic services abroad can usually test for a known family fault, and having the exact variant makes that much simpler. They should show the letter to their local doctor or genetics service.
Should I send it to my children?
Adult children, yes, when you feel ready. For younger children, most faults that raise adult cancer risk are not tested in childhood. Your counsellor will tell you whether your gene is one of the few that needs earlier attention.
What if my result was a variant of uncertain significance?
Usually no letter is needed. A VUS is not a positive result and relatives are not normally tested for it. If the laboratory later reclassifies it as harmful, that is the time to write, so ask how you will be told of any change.
Where can relatives in Telangana get the test?
They can see a genetic counsellor or an oncologist and take the letter with them. Call the CION helpline if they are not sure where to start, and someone will point them to the right clinic near their district.
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 — 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
- MedlinePlus Genetics — Why is it important to know my family health history?
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.
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Talk to us
Need help writing to your family?
Tell us what your report says and who in the family you want to reach. We can help you plan the letter and point relatives to a counsellor. One helpline serves every CION centre.