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Genetic counseling by phone or face-to-face
https://www.facingourrisk.org/XRAY/genetic-counseling-by-phone-or-face-to-face
Full article: https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/jco.2013.51.3226
Results presented at the 2017 American Psychological Association’s annual meeting showed genetic counseling by telephone is as “safe and effective” in long-term psychological and social outcomes compared to traditional in-person counseling for women at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. This presentation is an update on research published in 2014. (11/29/17)
Expert Guidelines
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network has guidelines on who should undergo genetic counseling and testing. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you should speak with a genetics expert about genetic testing if any of the following apply to you:
- You have a blood relative who has tested positive for an inherited mutation
- You have any of the following:
- Breast cancer at age 50 or younger
- Male breast cancer at any age
- Ovarian cancer at any age
- Triple-negative breast cancer at any age
- Two separate breast cancer diagnoses
- Eastern European Jewish ancestry and breast cancer at any age
- Metastatic breast cancer
- Testing of your tumor shows a mutation in a gene that is associated with hereditary cancer
- HER2-negative breast cancer and high risk for recurrence
- Lobular breast cancer and a family history of diffuse gastric cancer
OR
- You have one or more close family members who have had:
- Young-onset or rare cancers
- Breast cancer at age 50 or younger
- Triple-negative breast cancer
- Male breast cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, or metastatic prostate cancer at any age
- Two separate cancer diagnoses
- Prostate cancer at age 55 or younger or metastatic prostate cancer
The American Society of Breast Cancer Surgeons (ASBrS) released guidelines in 2019 that recommend all women diagnosed with breast cancer have access to genetic testing for inherited mutations in breast cancer genes.
If you are uncertain whether you meet the guidelines above and you are interested in or considering genetic testing, you should speak with a cancer genetics expert.
Questions To Ask Your Health Care Provider
- What are the pros and cons of genetic counseling by phone versus seeing a genetics counselor in-person?
- Can you provide me with the names of genetic counselors who provide this service by telephone?
- Will my insurance cover genetic counseling by telephone?
Open Clinical Trials
Below are clinical trials that include genetic counseling and testing.
Other genetic counseling or testing studies may be found here.
About FORCE
FORCE is a national nonprofit organization, established in 1999. Our mission is to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by adult hereditary cancers.