Questons about biopsy/lumpectomy

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MJW55
MJW55 Member Posts: 3
edited May 2017 in Just Diagnosed

My Mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer the biposy showed stage 1, grade 1 with invasive cells...then awaiting results of the blood tests...my question is how accurate is that initial biopsy? The oncologist stated that it didn't look like the cancer has spread...how accurate can that assessment be before the lumpectomy?

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited May 2017

    Pretty accurate I think with the pathology...as far as whether or not it's spread, I'm not sure how much they can really tell that with a biopsy, unless they are doing a biopsy on the lymph nodes. They biopsy the lymph nodes during surgery to check for spread.

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  • MJW55
    MJW55 Member Posts: 3
    edited May 2017

    thank you for the info!

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited May 2017

    gb2115 is correct that a biopsy can't say for sure whether or not the cancer has spread. However, it appears small (Stage 1) and slow-growing (Grade 1). So, your Mom's oncologist is probably correct. Her doctors will have a better idea of whether or not her cancer has spread to the nodes during surgery. If your Mom's cancer were bigger (say 3 cm+) and rapidly proliferating (Grade 3), her doctors might order a PET scan to see if the cancer has spread elsewhere in the body. But, in your Mom's case, such a scan would be considered overkill. ((Hugs))

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  • MJW55
    MJW55 Member Posts: 3
    edited May 2017

    thanks for the info elaine. As far as I know a bone scan is scheduled for next week, and the surgeon for Thursday.

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