Breast Cancer
 
Psychological Counseling and Genetic Testing  

Why is psychological counseling a component of genetic testing?

Genetic information can be very powerful. Some people cannot anticipate how they will feel about receiving genetic information. Because of the possible anxiety associated with receiving test results, many experts recommend that people considering such tests spend some time beforehand thinking and talking about how the knowledge about the genetic information may affect them. Some programs use genetic counselors, whereas other programs may have a psychologist or other specialist as part of the team.

If a woman has had breast cancer, she may think that nothing could be worse than a breast cancer diagnosis, and learning that she has a gene responsible for the disease would be no big deal. But sometimes finding out that inherited risk is present -- something that could be passed to a child, for example, or just feeling "imperfect" because of a genetic situation that is nobody's fault -- can cause great distress. Also, many women who lack the altered gene, but have close relatives that have the gene, often suffer tremendous feelings of guilt.

Psychological counseling can help with these emotional issues.


Questions Related to Psychological Counseling and Genetic Testing
What is genetic testing for cancer?
What role do genetics play in breast cancer?
Are some woman genetically predisposed to breast cancer?
What are BRCA1 and BRCA2?
How are BRCA1 and BRCA2 involved in causing cancer?
Could I inherit a breast cancer abnormality gene from my father?
Does every woman with an abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene get breast cancer?
Who should get genetic testing?
How much does genetic testing for breast cancer cost?
Where can I get genetically tested for breast cancer?
How is the test for BRCA1 and BRCA2 performed?
What can I do if I have altered BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes?
If my genetic tests do not show that I have the altered genes, BRCA1 or BRCA2, does this mean that I will not get breast cancer?
Are certain populations or ethnicities more likely to have altered BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes?
Is genetic testing covered by insurance?
I have breast cancer. What are the chances that my children could develop other kinds of cancer?
Because I had breast cancer and was also in the at-risk population, I was advised to have genetic testing. Fortunately, I am not a carrier. But is it possible that the altered breast cancer gene could skip a generation and show up in my daughter?
What are the advantages of genetic testing?
What are the disadvantages of genetic testing?
If I test positive for altered BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, can my insurance carrier drop me?
Is genetic discrimination prohibited by law?
Should I share my genetic test results with my husband or partner?
If I am thinking about getting genetically tested, what questions should I ask?

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