Diagnosis Options
Screening
The American Cancer society recommends that women perform monthly breast self-examinations to monitor changes to the breasts and breast area to see or feel any unusual changes. The ideal time to perform this exam is in the first couple days following the end of your monthly period or once a month for post-menopausal women.
Coupled with the monthly breast self-examination, it is recommended that women receive a clinical breast screening at least once every three years. When a woman reaches the age of 40, a yearly mammogram is recommended. If you are at high risk for breast cancer, and are under 40 years of age, a yearly mammogram may also be recommended by your healthcare provider.
A mammogram is a test using an x-ray machine that scans breast tissue for abnormalities or growths. Patients should continue to have these records complied and archived for comparison over time.
Your healthcare provider may use ultrasound or MRI imaging methods to further investigate bumps or lesions. An ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create the image or video film of the breast. Ultrasound can guide the physician in biopsy or aspiration procedures. MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging, which enables the heath care provider to take photographs of the breast.
Diagnosis
Breast Biopsy is the removal of tissue from the breast which is taken to the lab and carefully examined under a microscope to obtain a diagnosis. There are a number of different biopsy procedures. Choosing a procedure should be dependant on the size, shape and location of the abnormal tissue as well as the patient’s own personal preference.Fine needle aspiration (FNA ) is a procedure using a thin needle that withdraws fluid or cells from the area in question. The needle is inserted into breast. If the lump is detected as a cyst, fluid is removed. The cyst will then collapse and the fluid specimen is taken to the lab for further testing. If the lump does not collapse and is determined to be a dense mass, a cell sample is removed and smeared on a slide for lab testing.
Core biopsy is a procedure that works the same way as the fine needle biopsy, except a slightly larger needle is used to extract an actual tissue sample from the mass.. A sample of the suspicious mass is removed for lab testing. The core biopsy methods are ultrasound-guided core biopsy and stereotactic biopsy. Ultrasound guided biopsy is done manually by the physician using ultrasound imaging device to ensure accurate attainment of the tissue sample. Through a small skin knick, the the coring device is inserted into the breast. This minimally invasive procedure is done in your physician’s office or radiology clinic with a simple numbing of the area. The stereotactic biopsy uses the same testing concept, except mammogram films called SCOUT films are taken to examine tissue. These films are used to confirm the exact needle placement on the breast as opposed to ultrasonic monitoring. The biopsy needle is inserted into the skin through a small incision and a core sample is taken. Core biopsy is widely used to diagnose abnormal breast tissue. Current core biopsy devices require multiple insertions in the breast to retrieve adequate biopsy samples. Multiple samples are often taken to increase reliability of tests. Rubicor’s Flash Breast Biopsy Device only requires a single insertion into the breast to retrieve multiple biopsy samples at one time. (See Flash for more information).
There are many benefits of minimally invasive biopsy and core biopsy procedures:
• Minimal scaring and best cosmetic result
• Less painful and low risk of infection
• Immediacy to go on with daily regimen and other activities
• Security in accurate test results
Excisional Biopsy
Open excisional biopsy means removing the entire lump in a surgical procedure. The lump is then taken in for pathological review. A long wire is placed in the breast before surgery to mark the position of the biopsy area to facilitate removal by a surgeon.There are now minimally invasive procedures that allow for the intact excision of benign breast tissue in an outpatient procedure through a small incision in the breast. Patients leave the office with nothing more than small bandage on the breast. (See Halo for more information).
Sentinel node biopsy is a method used to detect if the abnormal breast tissue has affected the first lymph node in the breast. A blue dye is injected into the breast, which acts like a tracer to locate the sentinel node. This makes it simple for the surgeon to identify and test the correct nodes any cancer spread.