Preparing for a Biopsy
- What type of biopsy will I have? Why?
- Will the lymph nodes be sampled?
- Will a sentinel node biopsy be done? What is the experience of the surgeon, radiologist and pathologist in doing this procedure?
- How reliable is a needle biopsy?
- Will estrogen and progesterone receptor tests be done? Her2/neu? Others?
- How often does the radiologist or surgeon perform the type of biopsy I'll be having? Do they specialize in breast cancer?
- How long will the biopsy take?
- Will I be awake during the biopsy? Can it be done on an outpatient basis?
- How long will it be between my biopsy and any necessary treatment?
- If I have a needle biopsy, who will evaluate the samples? How much experience does that person have with breast cancer? Will a cytopathologist be needed?
- When will I get the pathology results?
- Where will the biopsy scar be?
- Are there any after effects of the biopsy? If so, what are they?
- What medications should I avoid before the biopsy and for how long? When can I resume my usual medications?
- When will I be able to return to my normal routine?
- If cancer is found, who will talk with me about my treatment options? When must I make a decision on my treatment choices?
- Will the tissue removed during my biopsy be X-rayed to make sure that all of the suspicious tissue was removed?
- Will my tumor be saved? Where will it be stored? For how long? How can I/ future providers/clinical trials I might join access it in the future? For more information on breast pathology practices, see our report.
Learn more about talking to your health care provider.
Getting Your Biopsy Results and Understanding the Diagnosis
- What did my biopsy show?
- What kind of breast cancer do I have? What is the stage and grade?
- Who will discuss my treatment options with me?
- How many lymph nodes were removed, and how many were positive for cancer?
- What are the estrogen and progesterone receptor status of my tumor? What is the HER2/neu status? What are the results of other tests?
- Will other special tests (such as proliferation rate) be done on the tissue?
- Was the entire tumor removed? Were the margins close or positive? If they were close, do I need more surgery?
- What other tests should I have to see if the cancer has spread to other organs (such as liver, lungs and bones)?
- How much time can I take to decide what type of treatment to have?
- What do I need to consider now if I would like to have a child my treatment?
- Will my tumor be saved? Where will it be stored? For how long? How can I/ future providers/clinical trials I might join access it in the future? For more information on breast pathology practices, see our report.
Learn more about talking to your health care provider.
Cancer Stages
- How does the stage of my cancer affect my treatment options?
- How does the stage of my cancer affect my chances for survival?
- Besides my cancer stage, what other factors should I know about that affect my treatment and prognosis?
Updated 10/26/09
