Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

A diagnosis of breast cancer is scary. There is so much information to absorb and many decisions to make. You will develop a team of care givers that will help you address your initial anxiety by gaining knowledge and understanding your options. From doctors, surgeons, oncologists and nurses, to support groups, family and friends, these people will help you understand your situation and help determine your course of action.

Often breast cancer is diagnosed through identifying a lump or change in the breast through breast self-exam, an office visit to the doctor, or through an abnormal mammogram. Once a lump is found, follow-up tests are done to determine if there is cancer or not. Usually, a biopsy is performed, which removes cells or tissue from the breast to be tested by a pathologist for the existence of cancer.

A pathology report will give doctors and patients information on the presence, stage, size and location of the cancer. In addition, it will also tell doctors what factors are present such as hormone receptors, which will help doctors identify the best choice for treatment.

Make sure to take your time in absorbing all of the information that has been given to you. Write down what the doctors are telling you. Talk over the diagnosis and treatment options with your regular physician, family and friends before you make decisions.

To find out more about breast cancer diagnosis, go to one of our helpful links.

To go back to Breast Cancer Basics, click here.

To learn more about MammaPrint, click here.