Understanding Your Breast Cancer Pathology Report

What is a pathology report?

A pathology report is a detailed document prepared by a pathologist after examining tissue samples from a biopsy or surgery. It provides important information about your breast cancer, helping your doctors plan the best treatment for you.

What information is in the pathology report?

1. Patient and Specimen Details

Your name, medical information, and details about the tissue sample, including how and where it was taken.

2. Tumor Type

Describes the kind of breast cancer you have. Common types include:

Ductal carcinoma (starts in the milk ducts).

Lobular carcinoma (starts in the milk-producing glands).

Indicates whether the cancer is invasive (spreading) or non-invasive (localized).

3. Tumor Size

The size of the cancer, usually measured in millimeters (mm) or centimeters (cm).

4. Grade

Indicates how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope and how quickly they may grow:

Grade 1 (low grade): Slow-growing.

Grade 2 (intermediate grade): Moderate growth.

Grade 3 (high grade): Fast-growing.

5. Lymph Node Involvement
Shows if cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. The report will specify how many lymph nodes were removed and how many had cancer.

6. Margins

Refers to the edges of the removed tissue:

Clear margins: No cancer at the edges, suggesting all the cancer was removed.

Positive margins: Cancer cells are at the edges, indicating more tissue may need to be removed.

7. Receptor Status

Determines whether your cancer responds to hormones or certain proteins:

Estrogen receptor (ER) and Progesterone receptor (PR): If positive, the cancer may grow in response to hormones and could be treated with hormone therapy.

HER2 status: If positive, the cancer may grow faster but can be treated with targeted therapies.

Triple-negative breast cancer: Lacks ER, PR, and HER2, requiring other treatment approaches.

8. Ki-67 Index

Measures how quickly the cancer cells are dividing. A higher percentage suggests more aggressive cancer.

9. Other Features

Additional findings such as the presence of vascular invasion (cancer in blood or lymph vessels).

Why is the pathology report important?

Your pathology report provides crucial details that help your doctors:

Confirm the diagnosis.

Determine the stage and severity of your cancer.

Plan the most effective treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or hormone therapy.

What should you do with your pathology report?

Ask Questions: If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask your doctor to explain.

Keep a Copy: Your report is an important part of your medical records.

Discuss Treatment Options: Use the report to guide discussions with your healthcare team.

Key takeaways

A pathology report provides detailed information about your breast cancer.

It is essential for determining your treatment plan.

Your healthcare team will explain the findings and how they affect your care.