Does genetic counselling treat Lynch syndrome?

Lynch syndrome is an inherited change affecting genes that help repair damaged DNA. A counsellor reviews your personal and family history, explains what a genetic test can and cannot show, and discusses what a result may mean for relatives. Counselling can clarify whether testing is appropriate and help you consider choices without pressuring you to take a particular path.

If testing confirms Lynch syndrome, the result can support a tailored plan for cancer surveillance and risk reduction. Counselling does not remove the inherited gene change, and it is not a medicine, operation or substitute for care from an oncology or genetics team.

Ask your clinician whether your family pattern or previous test results warrant referral to a genetics service. Bring information about relatives with cancer, including the cancer type and age at diagnosis where known. Before testing, discuss privacy, possible results, implications for family members and how findings could affect future screening. A confirmed result may lead to a more personalised surveillance plan, while an uninformative result does not always rule out inherited risk.

Contact your healthcare team promptly if you have a new concerning symptom, an abnormal screening result or a cancer diagnosis; genetic counselling should happen alongside appropriate clinical assessment. Seek urgent help for severe bleeding, fainting, sudden severe pain or difficulty breathing. These symptoms need assessment regardless of whether Lynch syndrome has been confirmed.

Ask which genetic test is being considered, what the possible result categories are, and how each could change screening for you and your relatives. You can also ask who will explain the result, which surveillance appointments may be advised, and what support is available before sharing information with family.