6 advantages of going for genetic counselling in paediatric cancer

Paediatric cancer is a very rare phenomenon in comparison to adults but it will have a very profound impact on the life of the kids as well as their families. Advancements in medical sciences have not only improved the rate of survival but also have brought attention to the role of genetics in childhood cancers. Now getting in touch with the pediatrician consultant will be a matter of necessity because genetic counselling has perfectly emerged as a critical component in the management, diagnosis and prevention of paediatric Cancer. By understanding the genetic basis of certain cancers, families and healthcare providers will be able to make highly informed decisions and eventually improve long-term outcomes. The following are the most important benefits of going for genetic counselling for paediatric cancer:

1. Identification of the hereditary cancer syndrome: One of the common functions of genetic counselling is to identify whether a kid has cancer as a hereditary component or not. While the majority of paediatric cancers are sporadic, a significant percentage is linked with the inherited genetic mutation as well. Some of the common hereditary cancer syndromes in this particular case will be well taken into consideration throughout the process because earlier identification of this syndrome will allow the professionals to develop a custom monitoring and prevention plan not only for the affected child but also for the families who are consistently very high risk.
2. A personalised plan of treatment: Another very important benefit of getting in touch with the haematology oncology doctors for genetic counselling is that you will be able to create a personalised plan of treatment because genetic counselling will support the precision medicine by helping the doctors to understand the genetic makeup of the kid’s cancer. A good number of mutations in this particular case will be affecting how the cancer will respond to the specific treatments for example alternate treatment strategies and other associated things. Targeted therapy in this particular case will be much more effective with the cancer that has been driven by specific genetic changes because the level of customisation in this case will increase the treatment effectiveness, reduce the side effects and improve the survival rate.
3. Family risk assessment and prevention: Counselling will be also helpful for the families to understand if other children or relatives are consistently at risk of developing cancer or not. If there is any presence of the hereditary mutation then siblings and other relatives have to undergo genetic testing in the cases of risk individuals regular screening, early intervention and preventive measures have to be taken into consideration. Families in this particular case will be making informed decisions about future pregnancies about prenatal or genetic diagnosis so that proactive approach will be adopted because this is a very powerful tool in cancer prevention and early detection.
4. Clarification of the diagnosis and prognosis: One of the most important benefits of getting in touch with the haematology oncology specialists for genetic counselling is that they will be providing you with clarification over the diagnosis and prognosis without any problem. Some of the rare cancers are best understood by analysing the genetic markers and when you have a clear idea about the genetic cause of the cancer you will be able to deal with the prognosis, behaviour and response very well. This particular critical insight will enable doctors and families to make highly accurate decisions about the path of treatment so that things are very well sorted out without any issues.
5. Supporting emotional support with informed decision-making: Genetic counselling will be not only about the signs but it will be also the support factor as well as the guidance which is the main reason that you need to take it very seriously. The professional genetic counsellor will be always helpful for the families to process the complex pieces of information in a very easy-to-understand manner. The professionals will be providing you with emotional support when families are facing difficult choices or distressing news. Counsellors in this case will be guiding the parents to make highly informed decisions about the treatment and the genetic testing for other family members in addition to the lifestyle choices. The combination of scientific with emotional support will always involve the family members to remain very calm and composed during such vulnerable times so that everyone will be able to carry out things very well without any problem at any point in time.
6. Proceeding with the long-term survivorship planning right from the beginning: As the survival rate in paediatric cancers is consistently improving, many children are going to live full lives very successfully. However, with some of the genetic conditions that consistently increase the risk of secondary Cancer and create health issues later in life, genetic counselling will be helpful for the kids to create a lifelong health monitoring plan and these survivors in this particular case will remain very much productive about their health and well-being. Hence being very clear about such a perspective will be very important right from the beginning to avoid any kind of issues and make sure that things are professionally sorted out from day one.

Apart from the points mentioned above, genetic counselling will play a critical role in the comprehensive care of kids with cancer from improving diagnostic accuracy to guiding personalised treatments and preventing future cancers this is a very important tool in modern paediatric oncology. This will also be supporting and empowering the families with knowledge but also will be providing them with hope, direction and support during tough times. As the genetic sciences continue to evolve, the benefits of genetic counselling will be growing and will offer you more opportunities for prevention, precision and personalised care in paediatric Cancer without any doubt. In this way, everybody will be able to enjoy good health in the long run and the parents will remain perfectly supported during this vulnerable time so that they can provide the best of care to their kids.