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Overview
Just the idea of having breast cancer is frightening, but it isn't the death sentence it used to be. If caught early, breast cancer can be removed and precautions can be taken to make sure it doesn't come back. If irregularities show up in a mammogram, a biopsy may be ordered to look for signs of breast cancer so the correct treatment can follow.
Types
There are two types of breast cancer. Invasive breast cancer can spread from breast lobules (milk glands) to breast tissue, lymph glands, and other body parts. Noninvasive, or in situ breast cancer cells stay in the place they start and don't spread to other organs.
Identification
There are three ways to do a needle biopsy. In fine needle aspiration, a thin needle is pushed into a lump in the breast to remove fluid or tissue and to see if it is solid or full of liquid. Solid lumps could be cancer. In a core needle biopsy, a device like the one that pierces ears pushes a needle with a notch to collect tissue quickly from the lump. Larger samples can be collected with a core needle biopsy than with fine needle aspiration. In a stereotactic needle biopsy the breast hangs down through a hole in a table and is flattened so equipment can take X-rays of it. This helps the doctor put the needle exactly where the lump is. It works well if the lump is very small.
Function
Biopsy tissue samples are sent to a pathologist, a doctor who will place the samples under a microscope and look for abnormalities. Some abnormalities are found in the lobes, or milk-producing parts of the breast, and some are found in the ducts, which are the tubes that milk passes through from the lobes to the nipple. If cells are found dividing rapidly in these areas, it can be a sign of breast cancer.
Prevention/Solution
If abnormalities are found, one or more of the four standard treatments may be recommended. Surgery removes cancer cells with an operation. Radiation kills cancer cells with strong X-rays. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells with drugs. Hormone therapy stops cancer cells from growing with drugs.
Considerations
Sometimes the report the pathologist sends the doctor indicates that a lump is not benign or malignant. This is a sign that cancer is likely to develop. Doctors recommend an MRI, which can give them a closer look at the suspicious area, or taking a larger sample of the area through surgery. Cancer found and treated quickly gives the best chance of a complete recovery.
