Complications

Beyond causing complications for your health, a genetic disorder such as Lynch syndrome may raise other concerns. A genetic counselor is trained to help you navigate the areas of your life that may be affected by your diagnosis, such as:

• Your privacy. The results of your genetic test will be listed in your medical record, which may be accessed by insurance companies and employers. You may have questions about whether being diagnosed with Lynch syndrome will make it difficult to change jobs or health insurance providers in the future. A genetic counselor can explain the laws that may protect you.
• Your children. If you have Lynch syndrome, your children have a risk of inheriting your genetic mutations. If one parent carries a genetic mutation for Lynch syndrome, each child has a 50 percent chance of inheriting that mutation. A genetic counselor can help you develop a plan for discussing this with your children, including how and when to tell them and when they should consider testing.
• Your extended family. A Lynch syndrome diagnosis has implications for your entire family, as many other blood relatives may have a chance of having Lynch syndrome. A genetic counselor can assist you in finding the best way to tell family members that you're having genetic testing and what that the results mean.