My Breakthrough
Biopsy tests
Every cancer is different. The more information that can be gleaned about your particular cancer, the more your treatment can be specifically tailored for you.
The tests outlined below are additional tests that can be done on the cancer tissue removed during your biopsy. They may give your medical team more information about the characteristics of your particular tumour. All of this information will help to refine your treatment regimen so that it best fits your cancer.
They may also be able to give valuable indications about prognosis.
If this test is positive, this means that the cancer has many receptors that can recognise oestrogen and / or progesterone.
This means that the cancer may be more likely to respond to hormone treatment such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors.
For more information see: Receptor tests
This test looks for the presence of HER2 receptors on the surface of breast cancer cells.
Around 20 per cent of breast tumours have high levels of HER2 receptors; these HER2–positive cancers can grow and spread very quickly. Some women with HER2-positive tumours will be eligible for treatment with Herceptin. Herceptin is an antibody treatment that blocks the action of the HER2 protein, slowing the growth of these cancer cells.
There are two types of DNA cytometry that both measure the amount of DNA in different ways:
They may also be able to give valuable indications about prognosis.
Hormone receptor tests
These test to see if the cancer is sensitive to the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone.If this test is positive, this means that the cancer has many receptors that can recognise oestrogen and / or progesterone.
This means that the cancer may be more likely to respond to hormone treatment such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors.
For more information see: Receptor tests
HER2 Testing
This test looks for the presence of HER2 receptors on the surface of breast cancer cells.
Around 20 per cent of breast tumours have high levels of HER2 receptors; these HER2–positive cancers can grow and spread very quickly. Some women with HER2-positive tumours will be eligible for treatment with Herceptin. Herceptin is an antibody treatment that blocks the action of the HER2 protein, slowing the growth of these cancer cells.
DNA cytometry
This test may sometimes be used to help predict how fast a breast cancer will grow. If a cell has more DNA than normal, it is termed aneuploid. Some studies have suggested that aneuploid breast cancers are more likely to spread outside the breast and to recur.There are two types of DNA cytometry that both measure the amount of DNA in different ways:
- Flow cytometry
- Image cytometry
Flow cytometry
This test uses lasers and computers to measure the amount of DNA in cancer cells. Cells are suspended in a liquid and streamed past a laser beam.Image cytometry
This test uses computers to analyse digital images of the cells from a microscope slide.Additional Tests
Ongoing research is continually expanding our knowledge of breast cancer cells and their possible characteristics. All this information can help us develop new ways to treat cancer. New factors, such as changes in the p53 tumour suppressor gene are currently being studied.Prognosis
The information gathered about your cancer will all be used to assess your prognosis. Prognosis means your long-term outlook and the likelihood of the cancer being contained, returning and/or spreading. In general, the extent of any spread beyond the breast is the most important factor in prognosis.
