In addition to physical exams, doctors use imaging tests, biomarker tests, and biopsy results to stage breast cancer.
Imaging Tests
These tests find cancer in the breast and in other parts of the body.
Mammogram The same test you get for breast cancer screening is also part of the diagnosis. A mammogram uses X-rays to take pictures of the inside of the breast. Doctors use mammography to determine how large the cancer is and where in the breast it’s located. This test can also show whether cancer is in lymph nodes near the breast.
Ultrasound This test uses sound waves to see inside your breasts. Your doctor can use ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis and find out where the cancer is in your breast.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) An MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create images of your breasts. This test can locate the cancer in the breast and measure the tumor size. It may also help detect some cancers before they’re seen on a mammogram or ultrasound.
Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan This test takes many X-ray pictures of the breasts from different angles and combines them into a very detailed cross-sectional image. A CT scan is usually used for staging purposes, after a patient has already received a breast cancer diagnosis. For example, it can show whether the cancer has spread into the chest wall.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan A PET scan uses a radioactive tracer to find areas of cancer throughout the body.
Chest X-Ray This test can show whether the cancer has spread to the lungs.
Bone Scan This test can find breast cancer that has spread to the bones. A radioactive material injected into a vein collects in areas of the bone that contain cancer.
Breast Biopsies
Biomarker Tests
If imaging and biopsy testing detects cancer, biomarker tests help your doctor determine the specific characteristics of your breast cancer to find the right treatment for it. These tests are done on a sample of the tumor taken during a biopsy or breast surgery.
Hormone Receptor Status Does the cancer have receptors for the hormones estrogen, progesterone, or both?
HER2 Status: Does the cancer make too much of the HER2 protein?
Tests for these biomarkers may sometimes be done to find the right treatment:
- Proteins like PD-L1 and Ki-67 that can affect the growth of cancer cells
- Gene mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2 and PIK3CA
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