Breast cancer laboratory tests

The goals of breast cancer testing are to identify genetic risk in high risk women, detect and diagnose breast cancer in its earliest stages, determine how far it has spread, evaluate the cancer's characteristics in order to guide treatment, monitor the effectiveness of treatment, and monitor the person over time to detect and address any cancer recurrences. The tissue samples required for some of the tests may involve a needle biopsy, in which cells from the breast are aspirated through a needle into a syringe, or by surgically removing some breast tissue or a tumor (open biopsy)

Laboratory tests for breast cancer can be broken down into groups, based on the purpose of testing:


 * To determine genetic risk in high risk women: blood testing for mutations that may be present in the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2genes
 * To diagnose: cytology - a microscopic examination of tumor cells obtained through fine needle aspiration and surgical pathology - a microscopic examination of tissue sampling via biopsy
 * To determine treatment options: evaluation of the tumor's HER-2/neugene amplification status and estrogen and progesterone receptor status
 * To monitor treatment and for recurrence: measurement of CA 15-3 or CA 27.29 in the blood

Some tests for breast cancer are performed on the woman's blood; others are done on a sample of cells or the tumor tissue.