Jan 24, 2009 8:54 am US/Eastern
Understanding A Breast Cancer Pathology Report
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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The pathology report is a detailed description of your cancer at the time of treatment.
CBS
When Cynthia Olriedge was diagnosed with breast cancer last May, she and her oncologist sat down and talked about the pathology report so that it was better understood and any misconceptions were tackled together.
"Dr. Talya explained it very well, plus I had done some research on my own so it made it easier to understand," Olriedge said.
A pathology report breaks down the tumor grade from one to three which indicates whether the cancer is benign or aggressive. Grade One looks the most like a normal breast cell while a Grade Three is much more aggressive.
Dr. Talya Schwartzberg, an oncologist with the Cancer Center of South Florida, explained that "Often times patients will develop either an invasive or noninvasive cancer. Noninvasive is actually a pre-cancer."
She continued, "So breast cancer starts by growing in the ducts of the breast. When it grows through the ducts, it becomes invasive. Before it breaks through the ducts it is considered pre-invasive or non-invasive."
Another aspect of the pathology report has to do with hormone receptor cells.
Dr. Schwartzberg said, "Certain breast cancer will actually secrete a hormone receptor on the surface of their cells to be either estrogen receptors or progesterone receptors. Women have estrogen floating in their body and if that bonds to that receptor on the breast cancer cell it can stimulate growth."
Dr. Schwartzberg's explanations can help patients like Cynthia better understand how the disease is attacking the body and the best ways to treat it.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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