patient info pt1cn2amxiiia breast cancer pathology report

What is the pathology report for breast cancer?

You will probably never meet the pathologist, but samples of your breast tissue and lymph nodes will be sent to them for review. The pathologist prepares a summary report of their findings, which is called the pathology report.

What are inked margins in a breast cancer pathology report?

After a breast cancer surgery, large pieces of tissue and lymph nodes may be submitted and described in the report. This description might report the presence of "inked" margins or sutures, which the surgeon adds so the pathologist can tell "which end is up" once the tissue is removed from the body.

What is the treatment for her 2 positive breast cancer?

Her 2 positive tumors may be treated with medications, called monoclonal antibodies, targeting the Her 2 protein. The staging system most commonly used for breast cancers is the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system.

What is a Grade 1 breast cancer?

In general, the more the cancer cells look like normal breast cells, the lower the grade and the better the prognosis tends to be. The most common grading system is the Nottingham system: Grade 1. The tumor cells look the most like normal tissue and are slow-growing (well-differentiated).

How do I read my cancer test results?

There are three possible results:Positive: Cancer cells are found at the edge of the margin. This may mean that more surgery is needed.Negative: The margins don't contain cancerous cells.Close: There are cancerous cells in the margin, but they don't extend all the way to the edge. You may need more surgery.

What does a tubular score of 3 mean?

A score of 2 indicates 10% to 75% glandular or tubular structures, and a score of 3 means less than 10% of glandular/tubular structures are present. Next, the nuclei of the cells are evaluated to determine their size and shape.

What is considered a high KI-67 score?

Understanding Your Ki-67 Results Less than 10% is considered low. 20% or higher is considered high.

How do I read an IHC report?

The IHC test gives a score of 0 to 3+ that measures the amount of HER2 receptor protein on the surface of cells in a breast cancer tissue sample. If the score is 0 to 1+, it's called HER2 negative. If the score is 2+, it's called borderline. A score of 3+ is called HER2 positive.

How serious is grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma?

A low grade number (grade 1) usually means the cancer is slower-growing and less likely to spread. A high grade number (grade 3) means a faster-growing cancer that's more likely to spread.

Can invasive ductal carcinoma grade 3 Be Cured?

With aggressive treatment, stage 3 breast cancer is curable; however, the risk that the cancer will grow back after treatment is high.

Does a high Ki-67 mean chemo?

A clinical trial from the European Institute of Oncology indicated that high Ki67 (≥32%) can benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy in luminal B breast cancer with positive lymph node metastasis (30).

What is normal Ki-67?

The median value for Ki67 was 15% (range: <1% - 98%), which was used to define low or high Ki-67 expression levels: Ki-67 values <15% were defined as “low Ki-67”, whereas values ≥ 15% were defined as “high Ki-67”.

Is Ki-67 the same as Oncotype?

In the setting where conventional prognostic markers do not show a clear indication for or against adjuvant chemotherapy as determined by consensus in a multidisciplinary team, Ki67 is not a substitute for Oncotype DX testing. RS may provide additional information to aid decision making for adjuvant chemotherapy.

What does IHC 3+ mean?

The IHC gives a score of 0 to 3+ that measures the amount of HER2 proteins on the surface of cells in a breast cancer tissue sample. If the score is 0 to 1+, it's considered HER2-negative. If the score is 2+, it's considered borderline. A score of 3+ is considered HER2-positive.

What does my pathology report mean?

A pathology report is a document that contains the diagnosis determined by examining cells and tissues under a microscope. The report may also contain information about the size, shape, and appearance of a specimen as it looks to the naked eye. This information is known as the gross description.

What does IHC positive mean?

A positive test result means that the laboratory found a particular change in the proteins of your tumor. This means that it is possible that you have an inherited genetic condition and further genetic testing is recommended.

What is invasive ductal carcinoma with tubular features?

Tubular carcinomas are a type of invasive duct carcinoma (IDC). IDCs develop in the milk ducts and spread to other tissues. IDC is the most common type of breast cancer, accounting for 8 in 10 cases of invasive breast cancer. Between 8% and 27% of people who receive a breast cancer diagnosis have tubular carcinoma.

Does tubular carcinoma metastasis?

[1] Because of its nonaggressive, histologic appearance, its low propensity to recur locally, spread to axillary lymph nodes, and metastasize distantly, pure tubular carcinoma carries a favorable prognosis. [2][3] Its diagnosis is established based on histopathological examination of the surgical specimen.

What does tubular carcinoma feel like?

Symptoms. You may not have any symptoms since tubular carcinomas are usually found through routine mammograms. The tumors tend to be small which means they may not be felt during a breast exam. If you do feel a lump, it will be small and feel hard.

What stage is invasive ductal carcinoma?

Generally, the stage of invasive ductal carcinoma is described as a number on a scale of I through IV. Stages I, II, and III describe early-stage cancers, and stage IV describes cancers that have spread outside the breast to other parts of the body, such as the bones or liver.

What Is Carcinoma Or Adenocarcinoma?

Carcinoma is a term used to describe a cancer that begins in the lining layer (epithelial cells) of organs like the breast. Nearly all breast cance...

What If A Carcinoma Is Infiltrating Or Invasive?

These words are used to mean that the cancer is not a pre-cancer (carcinoma in situ), but is a true cancer.The normal breast is made of tiny tubes...

What Does It Mean If My Carcinoma Is called Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, Or Carcinoma With Ductal and Lobular Features?

Breast carcinomas are often divided into 2 main types: invasive ductal carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma, based on how they look under the m...

What Does It Mean If My Report Mentions E-Cadherin?

E-cadherin is a test that the pathologist might use to help determine if the tumor is ductal or lobular. (The cells in invasive lobular carcinomas...

What Does It Mean If My Carcinoma Is Well Differentiated, Moderately Differentiated, Or Poorly Differentiated?

When looking at the cancer cells under the microscope, the pathologist looks for certain features that can help predict how likely the cancer is to...

What Is Histologic Grade Or Nottingham Grade Or Elston Grade?

These grades are similar to what is described in the question above about differentiation. Numbers are assigned to different features (gland format...

What Does It Mean If Ki-67 Is mentioned in My Report?

Ki-67 is a way to measure how fast the cancer cells are growing and dividing. High values (over 30%) for Ki-67 mean that many cells are dividing, s...

What Does It Mean If My Carcinoma Has Tubular, Mucinous, Cribriform, Or Micropapillary Features?

These are different types of invasive ductal carcinoma that can be identified under the microscope. 1. Tubular, mucinous, and cribriform carcinomas...

What Is Vascular, Lymphovascular, Or Angiolymphatic Invasion? What If My Report Mentions D2-40 (Podoplanin) Or Cd34?

If cancer cells are seen in small blood vessels or lymph vessels (lymphatics) under the microscope, it is called vascular, angiolymphatic, or lymph...

What Is The Significance of The Reported Size of The Tumor?

If the entire tumor or area of cancer is removed, the pathologist will say how big the area of cancer is by measuring how long it is across (in gre...

What is included in a lymph node report?

Diagnosis or final diagnosis. This is the most important section of the report. It gives the pathologist’s final diagnosis and may include information on the tumor such as size, type, grade, hormone receptor status and HER2 status. If lymph nodes were removed, the status of these lymph nodes will also be included.

What is tumor grade?

Tumor grade describes the structure of the cells and is different from tumor stage.

What is the treatment for a tumor that is ER positive?

If the tumor is ER-positive and PR-positive, your treatment will include hormone therapy (such as tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor). Hormone therapy prevents the cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow and may stop tumor growth.

What grade do breast cancer cells look like?

In general, the more the cancer cells look like normal breast cells, the lower the grade and the better the prognosis tends to be. The most common grading system is the Nottingham system: Grade 1. The tumor cells look the most like normal tissue and are slow-growing (well-differentiated). Grade 2.

What antibody is used to label Ki 67?

MIB1 is the antibody most often used to label the Ki-67 antigen. The more cells MIB1 attaches to in a tissue sample, the more likely the tumor cells are to grow and divide rapidly. The result of this test is reported as the percentage of Ki-67-positive cells (the proportion of cancer cells in the process of dividing).

What is clinical history?

Clinical history (clinical information/clinical diagnosis/pre-operative diagnosis) The clinical history describes the initial diagnosis before the biopsy and sometimes, a brief summary of your symptoms. The location of the tumor biopsy is also noted (for example, left or right breast).

What does a pathologist look for in a tumor?

The pathologist looks at the margins under a microscope and determines whether or not they contain cancer cells. This helps show whether or not all of the tumor was removed. Negative (also called clean, not involved or clear) margins. The margins do not contain cancer cells.

What is the most common type of breast cancer?

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) DCIS is the most common type of non-invasive breast cancer and is sometimes called intraductal carcinoma. It is malignant (cancerous), and as it grows, the center of the tumor starts to die because it outgrows its blood supply.

What is a biopsy specimen?

In a biopsy, the specimen is likely a small, nondescript piece of tissue. The pathologist may describe the color, shape, feeling and size of the tissue. After a breast cancer surgery, large pieces of tissue and lymph nodes may be submitted and described in the report.

What is a pathologist?

A pathologist is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing diseases. Pathologists look at tissue from the body that is removed during surgery or a biopsy. You will probably never meet the pathologist, but samples of your breast tissue and lymph nodes will be sent to them for review. The pathologist prepares a summary report of their findings, ...

What is the tissue that produces milk called?

Breast tissue is composed of lobules, which produce milk; and ducts, which carry the milk to the nipple. Breast cancer starts in a duct or a lobule and this, along with how it looks under the microscope, determines the type of breast cancer it is. The type can help guide some of the treatment choices.

What is tubular carcinoma?

Tubular Carcinoma (TC) TC is a rare type of invasive breast cancer, making up about 2% of cases. Its name comes from the pathologist seeing a "tubular pattern" in 75% or more of the specimen. TC does not often spread (metastasize) to other areas of the body.

How rare is breast cancer?

Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) IBC is also rare, making up 1-5% of breast cancer cases. IBC presents differently than other types of breast cancer. Common symptoms include swelling or enlargement of one breast, reddened, warm to the touch, itchy and tender skin, and often without a lump.

What is the mitotic rate of cancer?

Mitotic Rate: describes how quickly the cancer cells are multiplying or dividing using a 1 to 3 scale: 1 being the slowest, 3 the quickest. Tubule formation: this score represents the percent of cancer cells that are formed into tubules. A score of 1 means more than 75% of cells are in tubule formation.

What stage of cancer should be included in a breast cancer report?

Your final stage of cancer should be included in this report. If it is not, ask your doctor to tell you if you have a Stage O, I, II, III, or IV breast cancer. Ask your medical oncologist what your stage of cancer means for your 5 and 10-year survival. Always ask for a copy of this report when you see your breast surgeon about a week ...

How long does it take to get a breast biopsy report?

This identifies whether or not you have breast cancer. The initial report only tells you the type of breast cancer and is available 1 to 3 days after a needle biopsy is performed. Over the next week, the receptor results are reported and amended to the initial report. Make sure to get a final copy of your breast biopsy report from your surgeon that includes the receptor information. It is critical information for you to know and keep as a record of your cancer for the future.

What is the page 45-46 of the Breast Pathology Report?

Download this booklet ( here) on “Your Guide to the Breast Pathology Report.” On page 45-46 of this booklet, there is a list of “Key Questions” and a “Checklist” of key items in your report. This non-profit organization provides excellent online and printable patient resources about breast cancer.

When is the second stage of cancer report available?

The second pathology report is the surgical pathology report. It is available about 3 to 5 days after your surgery. This is a detailed examination of the tumor size, margins, and possibly lymph node involvement. Your final stage of cancer should be included in this report. If it is not, ask your doctor to tell you if you have a Stage O, I, II, III, ...

Is breast cancer invasive?

Breast cancer is classified into invasive or non-invasive disease and also are given names based on their “cell type”. The Estrogen receptor (ER), Progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 receptor results are also incredibly important for you to understand.

Can you get chemo before surgery?

Ask both your surgeon and medical oncologist if the receptors mean you will ultimately need chemotherapy. The receptor results from your biopsy report can often tell you early on in your journey that you may benefit from chemotherapy, even before surgery.

What is the F modifier for lymph node biopsy?

A regional lymph node with direct extension of the primary tumor or a tumor nodule in a regional lymph node area should be considered as a positive node. When nodal metastasis is confirmed by fine-needle aspiration cytology or core needle biopsy without further resection of nodes, use the “f” modifier (e.g., pN(f)).

What are the three groups of metastases?

Metastases are classified into three groups based on size: isolated tumor cells (ITCs), micrometastases, and macrometastases [4]. ITCs are defined as single cells, small clusters of cells no larger than 0.2 mm, or no more than 200 cells in a single cross section.

What is standardized breast cancer report?

A committee for standardization of breast cancer reporting was formed in the Breast Pathology Study Group of the Korean Society of Pathologists. The ‘Standardized Pathology Report for Breast Cancer’ was developed after several committee meetings.

Is breast cancer common in Korea?

Breast cancer has become the most common cancer in women in Korea [1] . Thus, pathologists are encountering more breast cancer specimens in daily practice. Furthermore, as our understanding of breast cancer biology deepens and treatment strategies for breast cancer rapidly progress, including advances in neoadjuvant therapy, targeted therapy, ...

What is a low grade cancer?

These 3 scores are added together to determine the overall grade of the cancer. A grade 1 cancer has more favorable biology and is often called a low-grade cancer.

What is it called when a breast cancer cell does not have a specific receptor?

If the breast cancer cell does not have that specific receptor on its surface, the specific receptor is called negative . This information is very important as it helps a doctor offer therapy that will benefit a patient and avoid prescribing treatment that does not work on an individual breast cancer.

What are the receptors for breast cancer?

The 3 breast cancer cell receptors in invasive breast cancers that are most commonly checked by the pathologist are the estrogen receptors, the progesterone receptors, and the HER2 receptors. For pre-invasive breast cancers, typically the estrogen and progesterone receptors are tested, but not the HER2 receptors.

What is pre-invasive breast cancer?

The most common type of pre-invasive breast cancer is ductal carcinoma in-situ, or DCIS. Lobular carcinoma in-situ (also called LCIS) and papillary carcinoma in-situ are the next most frequently noted pre-invasive breast cancers.

What is the most common type of breast cancer?

Invasive cancer can break away from the breast and spread. The most common type of invasive breast cancer is infiltrating ductal car cinoma, also called ductal car cinoma. Ductal carcinoma originates in the ducts of the breast.

How is breast cancer graded?

The grade is determined by what the pathologist sees when looking at the breast cancer under the microscope. The pathologist looks for how many cells are dividing (mitoses), the architecture of the breast tissue (tubules), and how the individual cells appear (atypia). Each of these components (mitoses, tubules, and atypia) is given an individual score of 1, 2, or 3. These 3 scores are added together to determine the overall grade of the cancer. A grade 1 cancer has more favorable biology and is often called a low-grade cancer. A grade 2 cancer is considered intermediate grade and a grade 3 cancer is referred to as a high-grade cancer.

What is a breast pathologist report?

The pathologist then generates a report documenting his or her findings. For a patient diagnosed with breast cancer, this pathology report contains many important details about her breast cancer, including the type of breast cancer, the grade of the breast cancer, and the receptor status of the breast cancer.