Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Myth: knowing will only cause worry | CION Cancer Clinics
Knowing about an inherited gene fault does not only cause worry. For most people tested with counselling, anxiety rises around the result and then settles. Many find that not knowing was harder. A result can also bring relief to relatives who test negative. This page explains how feelings usually change, what knowing makes possible, and when choosing to wait is reasonable. At CION Cancer Clinics, our team helps carriers and their families plan checks, next steps and support after a genetic result.
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
4.8★ / 800+Google rating
On this page
- Does finding out about a gene fault only cause worry?
- What knowing gives you that not knowing cannot
- How do feelings usually change after a result?
- The terms around this decision, in plain language
- What the worry says, and what knowing allows
- What this page cannot tell you
- Four beliefs about worry, and what is actually true
- Common questions about worry and genetic testing
The short answer
Does finding out about a gene fault only cause worry?
For most people tested with proper counselling, no. Worry usually rises around the result and then eases over the following months. Many people say that not knowing was harder than knowing. A result can also bring real relief, to you or to relatives who test negative.
What studies show, and what they do not
Research on people tested with counselling, mostly from outside India, finds that lasting distress is uncommon. Studies from Indian families are few, and our family and marriage pressures are different. So the evidence is encouraging, and it is not the whole picture for a Telangana household.
The worry that was already there
Families who are offered testing have usually watched someone close go through cancer. The worry exists before any test. Testing does not create it. It gives it a shape, and a shape can be planned around.
When worry is real and lasting
Some people do struggle, especially those who have lost a parent young or who already live with anxiety. That is exactly why counselling happens before the test and again after it.
Feeling shaken by a result is normal. Feeling unable to cope for weeks on end is a reason to ask for support.The other side of the scale
What knowing gives you that not knowing cannot
Worry is only one side of the decision. These are the things a result can put on the other side.
Earlier checks
A known carrier can start screening younger and more often than routine advice allows. Cancers found early are usually easier to treat.
Often includes
- Scans chosen for your gene
- A named team who follows you up
- A plan reviewed as you get older
Relief for relatives
Once a fault is found, brothers, sisters and children can be tested for it. Those who test negative can often let go of a worry they have carried for years.
Choices if cancer comes
For some cancers, knowing about an inherited fault changes which surgery or medicine is offered. Knowing in advance means those choices are made calmly, not in the week of a diagnosis.
An end to guessing
Many people describe years of wondering, at every ache and every family function. A clear answer, even a hard one, lets them stop guessing and start planning.
A negative result for a known family fault is the most common kind of relief we see.Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistOver the months
How do feelings usually change after a result?
-
Before the test
This is often the most anxious stage. Pre-test counselling is where you say what you fear, think through what each result would mean and decide whether you want to go ahead.
-
The day of the result
Shock, relief, tears or numbness are all common. The result is given in person where possible, with time for questions, and nobody expects you to make decisions that day.
-
The first few weeks
People often think about the result a lot, talk to family and read widely. This is the time to lean on your counsellor and to be careful about frightening websites.
-
The months that follow
For most people the intensity fades as the plan becomes routine. Carriers often say the result becomes one part of life rather than the whole of it.
-
Around each check-up
Worry can return briefly before scans. Doctors call this scan anxiety. It is common, it usually passes once the result is back, and it can be talked about openly.
Words you will hear
The terms around this decision, in plain language
- Pre-test counselling
- A conversation before any sample is taken, about what the test can show and how you might feel about each answer.
- Post-test counselling
- The appointment where your result is explained, with a plan and time to ask questions.
- Predictive test
- A test in someone who is well, looking for a fault already found in a relative.
- Right not to know
- Your right to decline a test, or to wait. It is respected, and you can change your mind later.
- Scan anxiety
- The worry that builds before a check-up and eases once the result is back.
- Previvor
- A word some carriers use for themselves: someone living with a known raised risk who has not had cancer.
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Side by side
What the worry says, and what knowing allows
What the worry says
What knowing allows
Better not to know
A risk you know about can be watched
I will think about it every day
For most people the result settles into routine
It will frighten the whole family
Relatives who test negative can stop worrying
Nothing can be done anyway
Screening and risk-lowering options exist for many genes
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you how you personally will feel. Some people are steadied by a result and some are shaken for a while. A counsellor can help you think this through before you test, including what support you have at home and whether now is the right time.
It cannot interpret a result
If you already hold a report, what your specific variant means is a question for the counsellor who ordered the test. Much of the worry people feel comes from reading a report alone. Having it explained properly often calms more than any page can.
Who this does not apply to
Most people do not need a genetic test at all, and for them this decision never arises. It also does not mean everyone should test now. If you are in the middle of a crisis, grieving or unwell, waiting is a reasonable choice, and the test will still be there later.
If worry about cancer is affecting your sleep, work or family life, tell your doctor. Support beyond genetic counselling is available and worth asking for.Commonly believed
Four beliefs about worry, and what is actually true
"If I do not know, I have nothing to worry about."
The risk is there whether or not you test. Not knowing often means years of low, constant worry, with none of the checks that could catch a problem early.
"A negative result ends the worry for everyone."
It usually brings relief, but some people feel guilty when a brother or sister tested positive and they did not. That is a common reaction, and counsellors are used to helping with it.
"Carriers live in constant fear."
Many carriers describe feeling more in control once they have a plan. Worry tends to come in waves around check-ups rather than every day.
"Telling the family will spread panic."
Handled with a family letter and a counsellor's help, most families take the news more calmly than expected. For many relatives it is the first chance to find out where they stand.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about worry and genetic testing
Will I be more anxious after a genetic test?
You may feel more anxious for a while around the result. For most people tested with counselling, that eases over the following months. Those who test negative often feel lighter straight away. Your counsellor will check in with you after the result.
What if I am already an anxious person?
Say so at pre-test counselling. It does not rule testing out, but it helps the team plan extra support, the right timing and who should come with you. Some people choose to see a counsellor for their anxiety alongside the genetic appointments.
Can I decide not to know?
Yes. Choosing not to test is your right, and so is choosing to wait. You can also have a test and ask for the result to be held until you are ready. Nobody should pressure you either way.
My test was negative but my sister's was positive. Why do I feel guilty?
This is very common. Relief and guilt often arrive together when siblings get different results. It does not mean anything is wrong with you. Talking it through with your counsellor, or with your sister, usually helps.
How do carriers cope with years of check-ups?
Most find the worry comes in waves around each scan and settles in between. Booking the next check before leaving, bringing someone along and knowing when results will arrive can all make it easier.
Does genetic counselling actually help with worry?
It is designed to. Counselling explains the result in plain terms, corrects frightening myths and turns a vague fear into a specific plan. Many people say the appointment itself was the moment the worry became manageable.
Can I wait until I feel ready?
Usually, yes. If you are well, there is rarely a reason to rush. The exception is when a result would change treatment for a cancer you already have, so ask your oncologist whether timing matters in your case.
Who can I talk to if the worry does not settle?
Start with your genetic counsellor or your doctor. They can arrange further support if you need it. Call the CION helpline if you are not sure who to approach, and someone will point you to the right clinic.
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
Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.
Book Free ConsultationBook an appointment with our specialist
Share your name and number — we'll call you back within 30 minutes to schedule your consultation.
Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Cancer Genetics Risk Assessment and Counseling (PDQ)–Health Professional Version
- MedlinePlus Genetics — What are the risks and limitations of genetic testing?
- NHS — Predictive genetic tests for cancer risk genes
- 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
Myth: a positive test means you will definitely get cancerWhy a positive result is a risk to manage, not a verdictMyth: genetic testing itself causes harmWhat the test involves, and what it cannot do to youMyth: if you test, insurers will automatically find outThe practical worry that often sits behind the emotional oneHow to answer a relative who believes these mythsWhen the person saying 'better not to know' is family
Talk to us
Unsure whether you want to know?
Tell us what worries you about testing. A counsellor can talk it through with you before any decision is made, including the choice to wait. One helpline serves every CION centre.