Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
How to book a genetic counselling appointment at CION | CION Cancer Clinics
To book genetic counselling at CION, call the helpline and ask for a genetics appointment. One number serves every centre, and the team will book you with the right person after a few short questions. This page explains which kind of appointment you need, what to have ready when you call, what to ask for, and what happens between the call and the first session. 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
17+specialists on panel
15,000+patients treated
35+centres across Telangana & AP
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The short answer
How do you book genetic counselling at CION?
Call the CION helpline and say you want a genetics appointment. The same number serves every CION centre, so you do not need to know which branch to ring. The team will ask a few questions and book you with the right person.
Who the appointment will be with
Depending on your situation, you may see a genetic counsellor, a clinical geneticist, or your oncologist first. If you are having cancer treatment now, the genetics conversation is often folded into your care plan. If you are well and worried about your family history, a counselling session on its own is the usual starting point.
You do not need to understand genetics before you call. Describe what happened in your family in your own words, in Telugu, Hindi or English. The person on the phone will work out which appointment fits, and will tell you if a relative should come instead of you, or with you.
If CION is not the right place
Some questions belong elsewhere, such as a rare childhood syndrome or a pregnancy test that needs a specialist fetal medicine unit. If that is your situation, the team will say so plainly and help you find a service that fits. Nobody will book you into an appointment that cannot answer your question.
If you have a referral letter, bring it. If you do not, call anyway and describe your situation. The team will tell you whether one is needed.Four common starting points
Which kind of appointment do you need?
Telling the helpline which of these fits you best helps them book the right person and the right length of session.
You have cancer now
Your oncologist has suggested an inherited gene test, or you want to ask whether one is worth doing. The result may affect your own treatment as well as your family.
Say when you call
- Your diagnosis and where you are treated
- Whether treatment has started
You are well but worried
Several relatives have had cancer, or someone was diagnosed young. A counsellor will draw your family tree and tell you honestly whether testing makes sense.
If a relative who had cancer is still living, the counsellor may suggest testing them first. Their result usually tells you far more than your own would.
You already have a report
You were tested elsewhere and need help understanding the result. Ask for a result review rather than a new test. Most of the time nothing needs repeating.
Bring with you
- The full report, every page
- The name of the laboratory
- Any letter the ordering doctor gave you
A relative has a known fault
Someone in the family has tested positive and given you a family letter. You need a targeted test for that fault and a short counselling session around it.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistFrom the call to the chair
What happens after you call?
A few short questions
Who the appointment is for, whether they have had cancer, and roughly who in the family has been diagnosed. You do not need exact dates.
An appointment is offered
You will be given a centre, a day and a time. Ask whether a phone or video session is possible if travel is difficult.
A reminder of what to bring
Reports, scan results and a written list of relatives who had cancer make the first session far more useful.
The first session
Usually about an hour. The counsellor builds your family tree, explains whether testing is worth doing, and answers your questions. No test is taken unless you agree.
Before you call
What should you have ready when you ring?
- The name and age of the person the appointment is for
- Any cancer diagnosis, and where it was treated
- A rough list of relatives with cancer, on both sides
- Any genetic report or family letter you already have
- The language you would prefer the session in
- Whether you plan to use Aarogyasri, Ayushman Bharat or insurance
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Worth asking for
What to mention when you book
If you are
Ask for this
Travelling from a district
Appointments grouped on one day
More comfortable in Telugu or Hindi
Counselling in that language
Bringing parents, siblings or a spouse
A longer session with room for everyone
Worried about cost
A written estimate before any test
Holding a report from another lab
A result review, not a repeat test
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you whether you need an appointment at all. That depends on who in your family had cancer, which cancers, and at what age. A short conversation with the helpline, or with your oncologist, is the honest way to find out.
It cannot quote you a price or a waiting time
The cost depends on which test, if any, is chosen, which laboratory runs it and whether a scheme or insurance applies. Waiting times depend on the centre and the week. The helpline can give you current answers, and you can ask for the estimate in writing.
Who does not need to book
Most people do not need a genetics appointment. If one relative was diagnosed at an older age and there is no pattern of young diagnoses or rare cancers, testing is unlikely to change anything for you. The team is as willing to tell you that as to book you in.
Testing of a tumour to guide treatment is a separate process arranged by your oncologist. It is not a genetics appointment.Commonly believed
Four things people assume before booking
"If I book counselling, I will have to be tested."
Counselling and testing are separate. Many people leave the first session deciding not to test, or deciding someone else in the family should be tested first. The choice stays with you.
"I should get the test done first and see a counsellor later."
The other way round works better. A counsellor helps pick the right test and the right person to test first. Testing the wrong relative, or with the wrong panel, can waste money and give a misleading answer.
"The whole family has to come to the first appointment."
One person can start. Relatives can join later, in person or by phone, once it is clear whether testing is worth doing and who needs it.
"It is only for people who already have cancer."
Well people with a strong family history are seen too. That said, testing the relative who has had cancer usually gives the clearest answer, so they may be asked to take part.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about booking at CION
Do I need a referral letter?
A letter from your oncologist or family doctor helps, because it explains why testing is being considered. If you do not have one, call anyway and describe your situation. The team will tell you whether a referral is needed for your case.
Can I book an appointment for my mother or father?
Yes. Many bookings are made by a son or daughter. The appointment will be in your parent's name, and they will need to agree to any test themselves. You are welcome to come with them and help with the questions.
Can the session be in Telugu?
Counselling can be arranged in Telugu, Hindi or English. Mention your preference when you book, so the right counsellor is scheduled. Relatives who prefer different languages can say so too.
Is a phone or video appointment possible?
Ask when you call. Remote sessions can work well for building the family tree and for discussing results. A blood or saliva sample still has to be collected in person, though it may not need a trip to Hyderabad.
How much does it cost?
It depends on whether a test is chosen, which one, and whether a scheme or insurance applies. Ask the helpline for current charges and a written estimate before any sample is taken. The cost page for this section explains what drives the price.
Can I bring someone with me?
Yes, and most people find it helps. A spouse, a sibling or an adult child can take notes and remember questions. If several relatives want to come, say so when you book so the session can be planned around them.
What happens after the first appointment?
If a test is agreed, the sample is taken and sent to the laboratory. A second session is booked to give you the result in person and explain what it means. If no test is needed, you leave with a plan for screening based on your family history.
What if I am not sure this is the right step?
Call the helpline and describe your family history or your report. Someone will tell you honestly whether a genetics appointment is worth making, and if it is not, what would help instead.
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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Patient stories
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Accreditation and empanelment
- NABH
- NABL
- ISO 9001:2015
- ArogyaSri empanelled
- CGHS accepted
- ECHS accepted
- EHS accepted
- Major cashless insurers
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.
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.
Warangal
Vizag
Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes
- MedlinePlus Genetics — How can I find a genetics professional in my area?
- Cancer Research UK — What happens during genetic testing
- 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
What a genetic counselling appointment costs in HyderabadWhat drives the price before you bookGenetic counselling in Telugu in HyderabadHaving the whole conversation in your own languageBringing the whole family to one appointmentPlanning a session with several relativesWhat to bring to your first appointmentThe reports and lists that make the first session count
Talk to us
Ready to ask about a genetics appointment?
Tell us who the appointment is for and why you are asking. We will book the right session, or tell you honestly if you do not need one. One helpline serves every CION centre.