Our services

The genetic counseling clinic at Novant Health Cancer Institute – New Hanover is here to serve anyone who wants to learn more about their unique cancer risks and ways to manage those risks. Our counselors start by looking at your personal medical history and your family history. Based on that analysis, they might recommend genetic testing. Genetic testing is often recommended for patients who have a personal or family history of:

• Cancer diagnosed at a young age (i.e. breast, uterine or colon cancer before age 50)
• More than one cancer
• A rare cancer (i.e. ovarian, pancreatic, male breast or metastatic prostate cancer)
• More than 10 colon polyps
• Cancer combined with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry
• A gene mutation (i.e. BRCA1 or BRCA2) associated with an increased cancer risk

Testing itself if as simple as giving a blood sample. Once your care team receives your personal genetic results, your providers will consider those and your family history to help you determine the best course of continued care. That can include:

• Continued monitoring at regular primary care appointments
• Specialized monitoring or plans for early detection screenings
• Surgical procedures (i.e. mastectomy or hysterectomy procedures) to lessen or eliminate future cancer risk