What does "Alert: Diagnosis of Malignancy" mean on your biopsy report?
The "Alert: Diagnosis of Malignancy" is simply a notification that cancer cells were found in your biopsy sample. It's a standard way pathology labs flag important findings to ensure your medical team sees the results right away.
Your report shows you Show Full Answer
What does "Alert: Diagnosis of Malignancy" mean on your biopsy report?
The "Alert: Diagnosis of Malignancy" is simply a notification that cancer cells were found in your biopsy sample. It's a standard way pathology labs flag important findings to ensure your medical team sees the results right away.
Your report shows you have invasive ductal carcinoma (also called invasive carcinoma of no special type), which means cancer cells have started to spread from the milk ducts into surrounding breast tissue. The good news is that your tumor is very small at 4 mm and appears to be grade 2, which is moderately differentiated. Here's what the key findings mean for you:
Hormone Receptor Status:
- Estrogen Receptor (ER): Positive (91-100%) - your cancer responds to estrogen
- Progesterone Receptor (PR): Positive (1-5%) - your cancer responds to progesterone
This is actually positive news because hormone receptor-positive cancers can be treated with hormone therapy, which can help prevent recurrence.
HER2 Status:
- HER2: Negative (score 0+)
Your cancer doesn't have high levels of the HER2 protein. While this means HER2-targeted therapies wouldn't be used, hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative cancers often respond well to hormone therapy.
Your medical team will use all this information to create a personalized treatment plan. The small size and hormone-positive status are encouraging factors.
April 16