Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Genetic services for children with cancer in Hyderabad | CION Cancer Clinics
Most childhood cancers are not inherited, and most children with cancer never need a genetic test. When a child's tumour, examination or family history suggests an inherited cause, Hyderabad has clinical geneticists and counsellors who see children alongside their oncology team. This page explains when a referral is made, how testing works for a child, and why brothers and sisters are not always tested. 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
- Where can a child with cancer get genetic advice in Hyderabad?
- When does a child's cancer suggest an inherited cause?
- How does a child get a genetic referral and test?
- Paediatric genetics terms, in plain language
- Testing a child with cancer, or a well brother or sister?
- What this page cannot tell you about your child
- What parents often fear, and what is actually true
- Common questions about genetic services for children
The short answer
Where can a child with cancer get genetic advice in Hyderabad?
Hyderabad has clinical geneticists and genetic counsellors who see children, usually working alongside the paediatric oncology team that is treating the child. Your child's oncologist is the right person to ask first. Most childhood cancers are not inherited, and most children with cancer will never need a genetic test.
Why the question comes up at all
A small share of childhood cancers happen because the child was born with a gene fault that raises the chance of cancer. Knowing this can change how the child is treated, how closely they are watched afterwards, and whether brothers and sisters should be checked. That is why a paediatric oncologist sometimes suggests a genetic referral even when nobody else in the family has had cancer.
Who you will actually see
Usually a clinical geneticist, who is a doctor trained in inherited conditions, or a genetic counsellor who works with one. Children are often seen with a parent in the room, and older children are included in the conversation. The paediatric oncologist stays in charge of the cancer treatment. The genetics team adds information to it and does not replace it.
A genetic referral for your child is not a sign that something has gone wrong. It is a routine question in some cancers.When doctors ask
When does a child's cancer suggest an inherited cause?
No single sign settles it. Doctors look at the tumour, the child and the family together.
The type of tumour
A few childhood tumours are linked to inherited faults more often than others. Retinoblastoma, an eye cancer of early childhood, is the best known. Some rare adrenal and brain tumours are others.
Doctors look closely at
- Retinoblastoma in both eyes
- Rare tumours of the adrenal gland
- Some uncommon brain and kidney tumours
More than one tumour
A child who develops a second, separate cancer, or tumours in both of a paired organ such as both kidneys, is more likely to carry an inherited fault.
Signs on the body
Some inherited conditions show themselves in other ways too, such as particular skin marks, unusual growth or a larger head. These are things a geneticist looks for during an examination.
The family story
Cancer in young relatives, several relatives with related cancers, or parents who are related by blood can all raise the question. A family with no history at all can still carry a fault that appeared for the first time in this child.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistStep by step
How does a child get a genetic referral and test?
The oncologist raises it
The paediatric oncologist suggests a referral, or you ask whether one is needed. Bring any family history you know, on both sides.
The genetics appointment
The geneticist or counsellor takes the family history, may examine the child, and explains what a test could show. Parents give consent. An older child is asked for their agreement too.
The sample
Usually a small blood sample, often taken alongside the child's routine treatment bloods so there is no extra needle. Occasionally saliva or another sample is used instead.
The result
The result is explained to the parents, and to the child in words that suit their age. If a fault is found, you are told what it means for treatment and for follow-up.
The rest of the family
If a fault is found, parents and brothers and sisters may be offered testing for that exact fault. This is the step that protects the children who are still well.
Words you may hear
Paediatric genetics terms, in plain language
- Clinical geneticist
- A doctor trained in inherited conditions. They can examine a child and order and explain genetic tests.
- Predisposition syndrome
- An inherited condition that raises the chance of certain cancers. It is a risk, not a diagnosis of cancer.
- Germline
- Present in every cell from birth, and so able to be passed on. A fault found only in the tumour is called somatic.
- De novo
- A fault that appeared for the first time in the child, not inherited from either parent.
- Assent
- A child's own agreement to a test, asked for alongside the parents' formal consent once the child is old enough to understand.
- Surveillance
- Regular check-ups and scans for a child known to carry a fault, so any new tumour is found early.
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Side by side
Testing a child with cancer, or a well brother or sister?
A child who has cancer
A well child in the same family
Tested to explain why the cancer happened
Tested only for a fault already found in the family
The result can change treatment and follow-up
The result decides whether screening is needed
Often arranged during treatment
Arranged only if screening in childhood helps
Guided by the paediatric oncology team
Guided by the genetics team and the parents
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you about your child
It cannot tell you whether your child's cancer is inherited. That depends on the exact tumour, the child's examination and the family history, put together by a geneticist. It also cannot tell you what a report means. What your child's specific variant means is a question for the counsellor or geneticist who ordered the test.
Who this does not apply to
Most children with cancer do not need a genetic test, and most healthy children in a family with adult cancer should not be tested at all. Faults that only raise risk in adult life are usually left untested until the child is grown up and can choose for themselves. Testing a well child only makes sense when finding the fault early leads to screening or care that genuinely helps in childhood.
Where the evidence is thin
Research on inherited childhood cancer in Indian families is still limited, and some rare conditions have only small studies behind them. A good geneticist will tell you plainly when an answer is uncertain, rather than guess.
If you are unsure who to ask, call the helpline and describe your child's diagnosis. Someone will help you find the right clinic.Commonly believed
What parents often fear, and what is actually true
"My child got cancer because of something we passed on."
For most children this is not the case. Most childhood cancers come from changes that happened by chance in the child's own cells. Even when a fault is inherited, no parent chooses or causes it.
"We should test all our children now, just in case."
Testing a well child is only useful when it leads to care that helps in childhood. For many faults the kinder choice is to wait until the child can decide for themselves.
"If there is no cancer in the family, it cannot be genetic."
A fault can appear for the first time in one child. Small families, and relatives who died young of other causes, can also hide a pattern. The tumour type often matters more than the family tree.
"A genetic test will delay my child's treatment."
It should not. Treatment starts on its own timetable. When a result is needed quickly, the oncologist can ask for it to be prioritised, and it is used to adjust the plan rather than hold it up.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about genetic services for children
Does every child with cancer need genetic testing?
No. Most childhood cancers are not inherited, and testing is offered when the tumour type, the child's examination or the family history points to a possible inherited cause. Your child's oncologist can tell you whether a referral is worth making.
Who in Hyderabad sees children for genetics?
Clinical geneticists and genetic counsellors in the city see children, usually at larger hospitals with paediatric oncology or medical genetics departments. Ask your child's oncologist for a referral, or call the CION helpline if you are not sure who to approach.
Is the test painful for a child?
It is usually a small blood sample, much like routine blood tests. Children on treatment often have a line already in place, so the sample can be taken from it without a fresh needle. Saliva is sometimes used instead.
Should brothers and sisters be tested?
Only if a fault is found in the child with cancer, and only if knowing early helps. For some conditions, childhood screening makes a real difference. For others, testing waits until adulthood. The genetics team will explain which applies to your family.
Should we as parents be tested too?
If a fault is found in your child, testing the parents shows whether it was inherited or appeared for the first time. That answer matters for brothers, sisters and future pregnancies. The counsellor will explain what each result would mean before you decide.
Is tumour testing the same as genetic testing?
No. Tumour testing looks at changes inside the cancer to guide treatment. Inherited testing looks at the child's own genes, present in every cell. Sometimes a tumour result hints at an inherited cause, and then a separate blood test confirms it.
Will our child's result affect their future?
It may shape their follow-up for years, which is usually a benefit. Families also worry about marriage and insurance. India has no specific law on genetic discrimination, so ask the counsellor how the result will be recorded and shared.
Can we get the counselling in Telugu?
Ask for it when you book. Many counsellors in Hyderabad speak Telugu, and a conversation about your child should happen in the language you think in. If one parent is more comfortable in another language, say so at the start.
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
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Accreditation and empanelment
- NABH
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- ISO 9001:2015
- ArogyaSri empanelled
- CGHS accepted
- ECHS accepted
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- 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 — Cancer in Children and Adolescents
- MedlinePlus Genetics — Retinoblastoma
- MedlinePlus Genetics — Li-Fraumeni syndrome
- National Cancer Institute — Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes
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
Reproductive genetics and PGT centres in HyderabadIf parents are thinking about a future pregnancyBringing the whole family to one appointmentParents, brothers and sisters, seen togetherGetting surveillance scans closer to homeIf your child needs regular check-ups for yearsGenetic counselling in Hyderabad: where to startThe first step if genetics is new to your family
Talk to us
Has your child's oncologist mentioned a genetic referral?
Tell us your child's diagnosis and what you know of the family history. We will help you understand whether a referral makes sense and point you to the right clinic. One helpline serves every CION centre.