Archive for the ‘Ask the Pathologist’ Category

Change in Diagnosis on Core Biopsy

Question: I had a core biopsy for calcium in my right breast that showed “focal atypical lobular hyperplasia” – my doctor recommended surgery but I chose to get a second opinion and that said my biopsy was benign and said there was no atypical lobular hyperplasia. I would prefer not to have surgery but [...]

Multifocal Breast Cancer and Staging

Question: My lumpectomy report says: Invasive ductal carcinoma, two foci, 2.4 cm, combined histologic grade II/III, margins widely free (>5mm), see comment. The comment says there were two tumors, one 1.3 cm and one 0.6 cm, total span 2.4 cm. My question is–my doctor has staged me as IIA (my nodes were negative)–but my [...]

My Core Biopsy is Benign but I Need Surgery?

Question: My mammogram had some new calcifications and I underwent needle biopsy. My doctor said there was no cancer but that the calcifications weren’t in my biopsy. They say I need to have surgery but if everything is benign I don’t understand why? Can calcifications disappear?

HER2 Testing Errors

Question: My pathology results showed my cancer was 3+ but FISH was done too and it showed a 1.7 so my doctor said I am not positive and therefore don’t qualify for Herceptin. From what I read 3+ is positive.

Juvenile Fibroadenoma vs. Phyllodes Tumor

Question: My daughter is 16 years-old and she noticed one of her breasts was growing larger than the other. I took her to my gynecologist who said she felt a lump and wanted to biopsy it. Since the lump was large they recommended surgery and the pathology report came back as a juvenile [...]

BRCA-1

Question: I am 33 years old with a mother and aunt all with breast cancer. I was diagnosed with IDC, grade III two months ago. I also tested positive for BRCA-1. However, my cancer was not the usual type according to my doctor–it was not the “triple negative” type and so I [...]

Errors in Breast Cancer Staging

Question: I am confused about my cancer stage as it seems much worse than when I originally had my surgery. Based on the report I asked for, my cancer is an invasive lobular carcinoma and measures 1.3 cm. I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy; my node was negative. My cancer is ER and [...]

Breast Cancer Stage and Tumor Size

Question: My report says “in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma, intermediate grade, 2.4 cm, margins clear” and my lymph node was negative; the cancer is ER positive (80%), PR positive (60%), HER2 negative. My surgeon said I don’t need more surgery but I need to see an oncologist to discuss chemotherapy. I am [...]

Microinvasive Carcinoma

Question: My core biopsy showed DCIS and there was an area that the doctor said was “suspicious for microinvasion.” I had a mastectomy and sentinel node biopsy–large area of DCIS but no invasion, my node was negative. I’m worried about the “microinvasion” and that I could have invasive carcinoma somewhere.

LCIS vs. DCIS

Question: I am 52 years old, no family history of breast cancer, and I have started getting yearly mammograms. My doctor found some new calcified areas in my breast and biopsied them. The report said I had “ductal carcinoma in situ, low nuclear grade, solid type without necrosis.” The calcium was apparently [...]