Understanding Your Breast Pathology Report

The breast pathology report is a summary of the information that has been collected about your breast cancer, both from your doctor's observations and from the pathology department. This report will contain information discovered after analyzing tissue that was surgically removed from your breast. The pathology report will reveal the condition of your breast that can lead to other tests that need to be done. As a result, different parts of the pathology report may be sent to you or your doctor at different times. Only when all the information has been collected should you sit down with your doctor to decide your course of treatment. Your doctor will fully explain the type and stage of breast cancer discovered, and the suggested treatment course. It is also a good idea to retain a copy of the full pathology report in case you ever move, decide to change doctors, or have questions about your breast cancer in the future.