What are the benefits of genetic counseling when offering BRCA1 and BRCA 2 testing?
Patient education and informed consent are critical aspects of the genetic testing process and will help individuals decide if genetic testing is right for them. Pretest counseling should address the implications of potential test results, medical management, psychosocial aspects, other options for testing, and testing costs. Post-test genetic counseling should address cancer risk estimates and subsequent medical management recommendations based on the genetic test results. When a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation has been identified, post-test genetic counseling also should include facilitating the dissemination of this information to at-risk family members.
