Diagnosing Breast Cancer

The process of diagnosing breast cancer is one that is unique to each patient.  With that in mind, our physicians at Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Clinic work with you to develop a diagnostic process that is specific to your needs and allows for the most accurate diagnosis possible. Initially, your doctor will have a biopsy performed in order to extract a sample of breast tissue to analyze.  After the tissue is extracted, the cell samples are sent off to the lab for analysis.  Typically, results from the lab will be available in one to three weeks. 

After the results of the various tests your doctor may order arrive back from the lab, a pathology report is assembled.  The pathology report is extremely helpful as it reveals several key insights regarding the tissue sample such as:

• The size and appearance of the cancer: The doctor measures the tumor at its widest point. Usually, size is a reliable indicator of the stage of the cancer.


• The cancer’s rate of growth:  The rate of growth measures how quickly cancerous cells are growing into new cells.  This information is important in determining the speed and aggression at which the cancer is spreading.


• Any signs of spreading to surrounding healthy tissue: If the cancer is particularly aggressive, it may have spread into nearby tissue. If so, a more aggressive form of treatment may be necessary.


• Whether or not the development of the cancer stems from hormones or genetic mutations: Depending on whether or not the cancer is related to hormones or genetic mutations, certain treatments may or may not be effective.  Your doctor will be able to prescribe treatments that work with your specific type of cancer based on this information.

Armed with your complete pathology report, your doctor will be able to build a specific treatment for your individual case. Just as no person is alike¸ no breast cancer case is exactly the same as another.  Performing an accurate diagnosis and assembling a complete pathology report is a crucial step in determining your most effective course of treatment.  We realize that treating cancer is about treating the individual as well as the disease. Just as every person is unique; so too is every case of breast cancer. At Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Clinics, our staff is committed to developing a course of treatment that is unique as you are.

Other Helpful Information

• Stages of Breast Cancer
• Breast Cancer Screening
• Inflammatory Breast Cancer
• Types of Breast Cancer