6 Benefits of Genetic Counseling

Questions about your cancer risk don’t have to linger unanswered. Genetic counseling helps you understand your history, your risk, and your options with clarity, compassion, and a plan you can trust.

Most people don’t dwell on cancer until something shifts their thinking. For you, that may be a diagnosis in your family, a routine screening, or a late-at-night session scrolling through medical sites on the internet that has you replaying your health history in your head.

Genetic counseling exists for those moments: to bring clarity, not fear.

At Invision Sally Jobe, we see genetic counseling as a conversation, not a test you’re rushed through. This information may impact cancer screening recommendations and/or cancer treatment/surgical decisions.

Our genetic counselor analyzes personal and family histories and translates complex genetic information into understandable recommendations for patients, families, and providers.

Who can benefit from genetic counseling?

Anyone can have genetic counseling and/or genetic testing, regardless of their personal or family history of cancer. However, individuals with a personal and/or family history of one or more of the following are strongly encouraged to consider genetic counseling:

Breast cancer at age 50 or younger
Triple-negative breast cancer at any age
Ovarian cancer at any age
Pancreatic cancer at any age
Male breast cancer at any age
Metastatic prostate cancer at any age
Multiple family members (on the same side) with breast, ovarian,
prostate, and/or pancreatic cancer
Colon cancer below age 50
Endometrial (uterine) cancer under age 50
Multiple family members (on the same side) with colorectal and/or endometrial cancer
10 or more colon polyps
Rare or young-onset cancers (usually below age 50)
Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry

Here are six ways you can benefit from this advanced look at your genetic makeup.

1. You get a clearer picture of your future cancer risk

Genetic counseling helps answer the question most people are afraid to ask out loud: What does this mean for me?

We look at your personal and family history together and talk through whether inherited gene changes may raise your risk for certain cancers. Instead of guessing or doing an internet search of worst-case scenarios, you get information that’s specific to you.

2. Your family history starts to make more sense

If cancer shows up more than once in your family, especially in younger members, you want to know why and whether you’re destined to get it, too.

During genetic counseling, we walk through your family’s patterns with you and explain what they might suggest. Sometimes there’s a hereditary link. Sometimes there isn’t. Either way, understanding the why can be incredibly reassuring.

3. Your screening plan becomes more personal

One of the biggest benefits of genetic counseling is that it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. In fact, it’s the polar opposite.

If your risk is higher than average, we may recommend earlier or more frequent screening based on established guidelines. This isn’t more testing for the sake of it; our goal is to ensure early detection and to give you peace of mind.

4. You learn about prevention options

For some people, genetic counseling opens the door to conversations about cancer prevention. That might include discussing preventive surgeries or medications that can lower risk.

We take time to explain what those options really involve so you can weigh them carefully and decide what feels right for you. There’s no pressure — just information and support.

5. You may qualify for research or clinical trials

In certain situations, genetic counseling can identify opportunities to participate in research or clinical trials related to cancer prevention or care. This is always optional, but for those who are interested, it can be a meaningful way to explore emerging approaches while contributing to ongoing research.

6. You help protect the people you love

Genetic information doesn’t exist in a vacuum. If we identify an inherited risk, we help you understand how that information may affect your family members and how to share it thoughtfully.

From there, your relatives can decide whether genetic counseling or testing makes sense for them too.

What genetic counseling looks like with us

At Invision Sally Jobe, genetic counseling starts with listening. We want to understand your concerns, your history, and what you’re hoping to learn. Testing may be part of the process, or it may not. Either way, we make sure you understand your options and feel comfortable every step of the way.

As the leader in outpatient imaging and preventive care in the Denver metro area, we connect genetic counseling with advanced imaging and specialized expertise when needed. That coordination helps turn insight into action without losing the human side of care.

Genetic counseling doesn’t predict your future. What it does is give you clarity, context, and a plan. It helps you move forward with confidence instead of uncertainty.

If you’ve been wondering whether genetic counseling might be helpful for you, we’re here to talk it through and help you decide what makes sense for your next step.

Call us at 720-493-3700 to schedule an appointment with our genetic counselor at our Denver Tech Center in Greenwood Village, Colorado.