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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staff
Diagnosing breast cancer
Tests and procedures used to diagnose breast cancer include:
- Mammogram. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. Mammograms are commonly used to screen for breast cancer. If an abnormality is detected on a screening mammogram, your doctor may recommend a diagnostic mammogram to further evaluate that abnormality.
- Breast ultrasound. Ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images of structures deep within the body. Your doctor may recommend an ultrasound to help determine whether a breast abnormality is likely to be a fluid-filled cyst rather than a breast tumor.
- Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI machine uses a magnet and radio waves to create pictures of the interior of your breast. Before a breast MRI, you receive an injection of dye.
- Removing a sample of breast cells for testing (biopsy). A biopsy to remove a sample of the suspicious breast cells helps determine whether cells are cancerous or not. The sample is sent to a laboratory for testing. A biopsy sample is also analyzed to determine the type of cells involved in the breast cancer, the aggressiveness (grade) of the cancer and whether the cancer cells have hormone receptors.
Other tests and procedures may be used depending on your situation.
Staging breast cancer
Once your doctor has diagnosed your breast cancer, he or she works to determine the extent (stage) of your cancer. Your cancer's stage helps determine your prognosis and your treatment options. Complete information about your cancer's stage may not be available until after you undergo breast cancer surgery.
Tests and procedures used to stage breast cancer may include:
- Blood tests, such as a complete blood count
- Mammogram of the other breast to look for signs of cancer
- Chest X-ray
- Breast MRI
- Bone scan
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
Not all women will need all of these tests and procedures. Your doctor selects the appropriate tests.
Breast cancer stages range from 0 to IV, with 0 indicating cancer that is very small and noninvasive. Stage IV breast cancer, also called metastatic breast cancer, indicates cancer that has spread to other areas of the body.
- Cancer facts & figures 2008. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/2008CAFFfinalsecured.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- What you need to know about breast cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/breast/allpages/print. Accessed March 30, 2009.
- Abeloff MD, et al. Cancer of the breast. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1875.
- Breast cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/breast.pdf. Accessed March 30, 2009.
- Breast cancer prevention (PDQ): Patient version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/breast/patient/allpages/print. Accessed March 30, 2009.
- Questions to ask yourself and your doctor. Breast Cancer Network of Strength. http://www.networkofstrength.org/support/selfcare/questions.php. Accessed April 1, 2009.
- Hulvat MC, et al. Multidisciplinary care of patients with breast cancer. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2009;89:133.
- Avastin (prescribing information). San Francisco, Calif: Genentech; 2008. http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2008/125085s145lbl.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Tykerb (prescribing information). Research Triangle Park, N.C.: GlaxoSmithKline; 2007. http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2008/022059s004lbl.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Found 1084 studies with search of: breast cancer | Open studies | Interventional studies. ClinicalTrials.gov. http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=breast+cancer&recr=Open&rslt=&type=Intr&cond=&intr=&outc=&lead=&spons=&id=&state1=&cntry1=&state2=&cntry2=&state3=&cntry3=&locn=&rcv_s=&rcv_e=&lup_s=&lup_e=. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Gnant M, et al. Endocrine therapy plus zoledronic acid in premenopausal breast cancer. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:679.
- Bardwell WA, et al. Breast cancer and fatigue. Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2008;3:61.
- Cancer-related fatigue. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/fatigue.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Breast cancer. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Breast+Cancer. Accessed April 15, 2009.
