The genetic counselling generally implies two or three visits.

In the first visit, all the information necessary will be compiled in order to evaluate the risk, and the patients are offered information about cancer and genetics, thus carrying out some health education.

In the second visit, the necessary information (above) is completed to evaluate the risk with the confirmation of the diagnostics brought by the individual or family. The assistant explains what the estimated risk of cancer is, and gives further complementary information and solves the doubts that may arise.

Those people with a high risk of hereditary syndrome to whom it is recommended to undergo a genetic study will be given information about this type of test; the advantages, limits and the risks of the genetic study will be discussed. Besides, these people will be informed about the measures to reduce this risk as well as about the screening programmes. They will be summoned two or three weeks later to make sure that the person they have understood everything correctly and that they can have the study done before they are taken the blood for the blood test.

Sometimes, before a genetic study, the patients might need time to consider the suitability of having these genetic tests done, according to their capability of facing the psychological impact for themselves and their close relatives, as well as the implications in their clinical management or on the illness in case they have been diagnosed cancer. The decision to have a genetic study done may imply the need of more visits to the genetic counselling.

The third visit is centred in the explanation of the results of the study and in the discussion of the strategies available to reduce the risk of cancer as well as the monitoring programmes.