Key Takeaways

• Cancer patients may wait several years after diagnosis to have genetic testing
• Delays in testing can cost patients access to targeted treatments and screening for future cancers
• Average testing delays ranged from less than a year for pancreatic cancer to more than three years for endometrial cancer, and were longer in women
• Findings presented this week at the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) 44th Annual Conference

SEATTLE – Nov. 7, 2025 – Patients often don’t have recommended genetic testing until years after a cancer diagnosis, even though the delay may prevent them from being eligible for certain cancer treatment or increased screening for future cancers, according to a study of more than 65,000 patients presented at the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) 44th Annual Conference.

The researchers determined that females were tested around a year later than males for most cancer types assessed. Patients with endometrial (uterine), prostate, and kidney cancer had the longest delays, averaging about three years between diagnosis and testing.

“Clearly, some people with a personal history of cancer aren’t getting genetic testing quickly enough, and these delays can hamper the opportunity for precision medicine and optimal outcomes,” said Magan Trottier, MSc, MSc, CGC, senior author of the study and clinical research scientist II at Ambry Genetics, Aliso Viejo, California. “Positive test results also can alert relatives to a potential genetic cancer predisposition so they can consider genetic testing to help guide early cancer detection or prevention.”

Researchers reviewed records for patients who had genetic testing at one laboratory between 2018 and 2025, measuring the time from diagnosis to testing across seven cancers: breast (43,473), colorectal (5,005), endometrial (2,339), kidney (1,309), ovarian (3,502 patients), pancreatic (3,996) and prostate (6,190). The delay between diagnosis and genetic testing was 2.2 years for females and 1.4 years for males on average for cancers that can affect both females and males. The length of time between cancer diagnosis and testing was:

• Endometrial – 3.3 years
• Prostate – 3 years
• Kidney – 2.9 years
• Ovarian – 2.3 years
• Breast – 2.2 years
• Colorectal 2 years
• Pancreatic – 0.6 years

Researchers said they were surprised by the variation in time delays. While women are more likely to undergo genetic testing in general, the men who were tested likely had a strong personal or family cancer history that prompted faster testing, they surmised. They noted that pancreatic cancer likely has the quickest turnaround since it’s a challenging cancer to treat, and genetic test results can impact treatment options. They were surprised that ovarian cancer had long delays, as this cancer is also difficult to treat and relies on genetic testing to guide treatment options.

They note that some of these patients may have had genetic testing on the tumor (somatic testing), which can also be helpful for determining the most effective type of cancer treatment. The researchers studied the wait for blood/saliva (germline) genetic testing but did not assess which patients had somatic testing. Cancer patients often benefit from having both types of testing, they noted. Germline testing, in particular, can be helpful to inform cancer risks for family members because somatic testing is not intended to consistently identify this.

For some cancers, earlier genetic testing can lead to better treatment options. For example, PARP inhibitors are most effective when given to patients with breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancers if they have certain disease-causing genetic variants or mutations, such as in BRCA1. Further, many variants carry risks for multiple cancers, so patients may qualify for increased cancer screening based on their results, such as breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or more frequent colonoscopies.

“People with cancer should talk to their doctors about whether genetic testing is right for them,” said Brooklynn Gasser, B.S., M.S., senior clinical research associate.  “Future studies should assess the reasons for the difference in genetic testing timing between women and men, whether somatic testing was performed and consider whether the type of health care provider influences how long it takes to undergo genetic testing. Genetic counselors can offer guidance on who should be tested and how to help streamline the process.”

News releases may contain updated data or language that does not match what is reported in the abstract.

# # #

Media interested in viewing study abstracts, interviewing authors and/or attending sessions at the NSGC Annual Conference can contact NSGC’s PR team at 630-344-2009 or NSGCPR@pcipr.com.

About the National Society of Genetic Counselors

NSGC is the leading voice, authority and advocate for the genetic counseling profession. Membership represents more than 5,000 masters-level health professionals, who are committed to ensuring that the public has access to genetic counseling and genetic testing. For more information, visit www.nsgc.org.  

###