Understanding Your Biopsy Results

After your biopsy, you will be given an appointment to receive your results. This is often the most anxious time in the whole process, so understanding the terms your team may use can help you take the next steps with confidence. Your results may show normal breast tissue or a benign condition - which means not cancerous. Many breast lumps are benign, such as cysts or fibroadenomas, and if your result is benign, you may not need any further treatment. If cancer cells are found, your results will describe the type of breast cancer you have. There are two main types of breast cancer: firstly, cancer of the milk ducts - known as ductal carcinoma; and cancer of the sacs that make the milk, the lobules, known as lobular breast cancer. The most common type of ductal or lobular breast cancer is called invasive breast cancer - which I will explain more clearly now. Invasive means the cancer cells have grown beyond where they started in the milk ducts or lobules - but this does not mean the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. You may also hear the term in situ, which describes cells that remain in their original location. Ductal carcinoma in situ - often called DCIS, is the most common type of in situ disease. It is sometimes called pre-invasive cancer, and is often found through screening mammograms before it causes symptoms. Your biopsy results will include a grade describing how different the cancer cells look compared to normal breast cells. There are three grades used. Grade one cancers tend to grow more slowly, while grade three cancers may grow more quickly, which helps your team plan treatment. This is not the stage of your cancer, which relates to how big the cancer is and whether it has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body. The pathologist also tests your cancer cells for receptors, which are proteins on the cell surface that can fuel cancer growth. The main receptors tested are oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2. Knowing your receptor status, guides which treatments will work best for your particular cancer. Oestrogen receptor positive cancers respond to hormone therapy, and are the most common type. HER2 positive cancers, respond to targeted drugs like trastuzumab, also known as Herceptin, which I will explain. Some breast cancers are triple negative, meaning they do not have oestrogen, progesterone, or HER2 receptors. Although this can sound worrying, effective treatments including chemotherapy, and immunotherapy are available for all types of breast cancer. Your results appointment may feel overwhelming with a lot of new information to take in all at once. It is completely normal not to remember everything you are told. Ask for written information to take home, and bring someone with you who can help you remember. Do not be afraid to ask your team to explain anything you do not understand, as there are no silly questions. Understanding your biopsy results is the foundation for planning your treatment. Your breast-care nurse is there to support you through this time. Knowledge helps you feel more in control during an uncertain time. Take things one step at a time, and lean on your clinical team and loved ones for support.