The Programme of Cancer genetic counselling of the Catalan Institute of Oncology is a Project of excellence, innovative and integrating with the aim to assist patients and their families who suspect that they have an hereditary predisposition to cancer.
The programme will provide with genetic advice and will help making informed medical decisions based on personal assessment of the individual risk. This intervention can have a great impact on a person’s life, by allowing them to manage their health in a better way and limit their risk of developing cancer.
The Programme of the Cancer genetic counselling is under the Direction of Community and Prevention Programmes of the Catalan Institute of Oncology. ICO* is a centre of Integral oncology assitance, which gathers in a single organization all the elements and effort to fight against cancer effectively and efficiently.
*Stands for Catalan Institute of Oncology in Catalan (N. of the T.)
What is the genetic counselling?
The genetic counselling is a process to look after the needs and worries of individuals and families regarding the possibility of developing and transmitting a genetic illness.
The process of the genetic counselling has the following main elements:
Compiling the personal and family medical records
Evaluation of, and advice on, the risk of developing this illness
Information about the illness, the treatments and the genetic studies
Stablishing the most suitable preventive courses of action or treatments
Providing both individuals and families with the necessary support in order to face the illness
Deciding whether to carry out a genetic test.
The participation of one or more professionals with specific training in order to help individuals and families throughout the process is included. This help will be:
understanding the diagnostic and the possible evolution of the illness as well as analysing how heredity influences on cancer and the possibilities of transmiting it to the offspring or that it is developed by other members of the family.
becoming aware of the different options to limit the risk of developing cancer and of the measures for an early diagnostic and treatment.
choosing the most suitable courses of action according to personal risk, the expectations of the family and the ethical and religious beliefs.
In order to guarantee that the patients make an independent decision regarding to whether they want to have a genetic test done, it is important to discuss the benefits, risks and limitations of the genetic tests during the process of the genetic counselling.
