Understanding your pathology report

After your surgery, the pathology report will help doctors determine the stage (from 0 to 4) of your cancer. This is based on the size of your tumor and whether cancer is in your lymph nodes or has spread beyond the breast. The pathologist determines whether cells are cancerous, precancerous (at high risk of becoming cancerous) or benign (harmless). This information is key for your medical team to develop a treatment plan. Before you read the report:

Marcia Frellick

October 7, 2009