Familial cancer centres


Familial or family cancer centres help support people who are worried about their risk of developing cancer due to their family history.

Services offered at familial cancer centres include counselling, medical advice, research opportunities and information on topics such as inheriting cancer, individual risk and screening. They also provide genetic testing where appropriate.

Familial cancer centres provide services from sites in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. A visit is free and confidential, and interpreters are available.

Making an appointment

If you're concerned about your family's cancer history, discuss it with your doctor who can refer you to a familial cancer centre. Types of families often referred to a centre include:

  • families with three or more individuals with a specific type of cancer – often breast, ovarian or bowel cancer.
  • individuals with multiple cancers diagnosed at an unusually young age.

During the appointment, your family history will be reviewed, and you'll be given an estimate of your inherited risk of cancer. Options for early detection and prevention strategies may also be discussed. The first appointment will take about an hour, and you may need to visit the centre more than once.

After you attend a familial cancer centre, you and your doctor will receive a detailed letter about your visit. This will include recommendations for follow-up care.

Speak to a cancer nurse

Public familial cancer centres

Austin Health Clinical Genetics Service

Parkville Familial Cancer Centre

Monash Health Familial Cancer Centre

Alfred Health Clinical Genetics & Genomics Service

Familial cancer centres

 

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