Breast Cancer Questions To Ask The Doctor (cont.)
In this Article
Is my family history relevant to my diagnosis?
If you have a strong (positive) family history for breast cancer,
ovarian cancer or even prostate cancer, this information is relevant
to your diagnosis. A strong family history in this case usually
means
that a mother, sibling, child, or father has had a related
malignancy. Information about other family members (aunts, nieces,
etc.) is also important. This is especially significant if the
diagnosis of breast cancer was made at an early age or involved both
breasts or a breast and an ovary in the same individual. A positive
family history may necessitate a more comprehensive diagnostic
workup,
more involved treatment, and consideration of genetic testing, not
only
for you but for other family members.
What other studies should be done on my tissue biopsy?
Microscopic evaluation of the slides made from involved tissue
provides critical information about the tumor. A reasonably accurate
prediction of tumor behavior can be made based on the appearance of
the cancer cells, their size and similarity to one another, and the
presence or absence of these cells in the lymphatic and blood vessels
immediately adjacent to the tumor. This type of evaluation is a
standard part of the diagnostic process.
However, there are additional relevant data which the laboratory
should obtain. This information includes, at a minimum, an
assessment
of the
estrogen and progesterone receptors on the malignant cells and the
status of at least one oncogene, called her-2-neu. An oncogene is a
gene that plays a normal role in cell growth but, when altered, may
contribute to abnormal cell division and tumor growth.
Currently, these tests (estrogen and progesterone receptors and
her-2-neu) have an accurate enough predictive value that their status
should be determined in all cases of breast cancer. Test results
are available within a few days to a week after removal of the
tumor tissue. The results of these tests should then be taken into
account in the final decision-making about treatment. These tests are constantly evolving and your treatment team will be able to discuss the current standard and advanced testing available.
Next: How urgent is it that I make decisions and begin
treatment? »
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