What to Expect After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Hearing that you have breast cancer can be overwhelming. You may leave an appointment with new medical terms, unfamiliar test results and questions about what happens next. While every person’s experience is different, the path forward usually becomes clearer as your care team gathers more information and discusses the next steps with you.

At Dignity Health, breast cancer care is centered on helping patients make sense of their diagnosis, consider their options and prepare for the next steps in their care. Knowing how that process may unfold can make the conversations ahead feel a little more manageable.

Understanding Pathology Results

A breast cancer diagnosis usually begins with a biopsy, in which a pathologist examines a sample of breast tissue. The pathology report provides important details about the cancer that can help guide treatment recommendations.

Biopsy results may include information about:

• The type of breast cancer: This describes where the cancer began and certain characteristics of the cancer cells.

• Tumor grade: The grade describes how different the cancer cells look from healthy breast cells and how quickly they may be growing.

• Hormone receptor status: Testing can determine whether the cancer has estrogen or progesterone receptors. This information may help determine whether hormone therapy could be part of treatment.

• HER2 status: Some breast cancers have higher levels of a protein called HER2, which may influence whether certain targeted treatments are appropriate.

• Lymph node involvement: Depending on the testing that has been completed, your care team may have information about whether cancer cells have been found in nearby lymph nodes.

Pathology reports can be complex. Your care team can help explain the results, highlight the findings that matter most and answer questions about what they may mean for your care.

Why Additional Testing May Be Needed

A diagnosis provides important information, but your care team may recommend additional testing before developing a treatment plan.

Depending on your diagnosis and individual circumstances, this could include additional breast imaging, such as a diagnostic mammogram, breast ultrasound or breast MRI, as well as imaging of other parts of the body, laboratory tests or further evaluation of the tumor.

Some people may also receive a referral for genetic testing, which looks for inherited changes in certain genes that can increase the risk of breast and other cancers. Genetic testing may be considered based on factors such as your age, personal and family history or characteristics of the cancer.

In some cases, genomic testing of the tumor may also be used. Unlike genetic testing, which looks for inherited changes, genomic tests examine activity within the cancer cells and help the care team understand how the tumor is likely to behave or whether certain treatments may be beneficial.

Not everyone needs every test. Your care team can explain what is being recommended, what information the test provides and how the results could affect your treatment options.

Meeting the Team Involved in Your Care

Breast cancer care often involves several specialists who contribute different expertise to your treatment plan.

Depending on your diagnosis and needs, members of your care team may include:

• A breast surgeon or surgical oncologist

• A medical oncologist

• A radiation oncologist

• A radiologist

• A pathologist

• A primary care provider (PCP) or other clinician involved in your ongoing care

At Dignity Health, your care team may also include other professionals such as patient navigators, genetic counselors, rehabilitation specialists, social workers or behavioral health professionals, depending on your needs and the services available. Together, they can help support different aspects of your care, from treatment planning to navigating appointments and other resources.

How A Breast Cancer Treatment Plan Comes Together

There is no single treatment plan that is right for everyone with breast cancer. Recommendations depend on both the characteristics of the cancer and factors that are specific to you.

Your care team may consider:

• The type, size, grade and stage of the cancer

• Hormone receptor and HER2 status

• Whether lymph nodes are involved

• Results of genetic or genomic testing, when appropriate

• Your overall health

• Other health conditions you may have

• Your preferences, priorities and treatment goals

Breast cancer treatment can include surgery, radiation therapy and medications such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Some people receive one type of treatment, while others receive a combination. The order can also vary. For example, some people may have surgery first, while others may receive medication before surgery.

Dignity Health cancer care teams work with patients to review these factors, explain treatment options and develop an individualized care plan. Your care team can help you understand why a particular approach is being recommended and what you may expect during each phase of care.

This is also your opportunity to share what matters to you. Work, family responsibilities, fertility concerns, transportation, side effects and other aspects of your life may all be important considerations as you discuss treatment.

Questions to Ask About Breast Cancer Treatment

With so much information to take in, it can be easy to forget questions during an appointment. Writing your questions down ahead of time — or bringing someone with you to take notes — can help.

Consider asking:

• What type of breast cancer do I have?

• What do my pathology results tell us about the cancer?

• Do we know the stage of the cancer?

• Do I need additional tests before deciding on treatment?

• Should I consider genetic or genomic testing?

• What treatment options should we discuss?

• What is the goal of the recommended treatment?

• Why are you recommending this treatment for me?

• What side effects should I expect?

• Are there different treatment options I should consider?

• How soon do I need to make a treatment decision?

• How might treatment affect my daily activities?

• Who should I contact if I have questions between appointments?

• What support services are available to me and my family?

It is common for questions to arise over time. Keep a list as they come to mind and bring them to your care team throughout treatment.

Supporting Someone After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

A breast cancer diagnosis can affect family members and caregivers, too. If someone you care about has been diagnosed, one of the most helpful things you can do is ask what kind of support they want.

That may mean attending appointments, taking notes, helping keep track of questions or assisting with transportation and everyday tasks. Sometimes support may simply mean listening without trying to solve every problem.

If you attend an appointment together, allow the person receiving care to lead the conversation and decisions while helping them remember the questions or concerns they wanted to discuss.

Caregivers should also remember to pay attention to their own well-being. Supporting someone through cancer treatment can be demanding, and asking others for help can make the experience more manageable.

You Don’t Have to Navigate What Comes Next Alone

As your care plan takes shape, your care team can help you make sense of your results, explain your options and guide you through the next steps.

Many Dignity Health care locations offer patient navigators who help guide patients through different parts of the cancer care journey. Depending on the location and services available, a patient navigator may help coordinate appointments, connect you with resources, answer questions about next steps and help you better understand what to expect throughout your care.

Dignity Health offers breast and cancer care services, with teams focused on helping patients navigate diagnosis, treatment and the questions that may arise along the way.

Bring your questions. Ask for clarification when something does not make sense. And remember that making informed decisions about your care is a conversation that can continue throughout your treatment journey.

Your Next Step

After a breast cancer diagnosis, connecting with a care team can help you make sense of test results, discuss treatment options and prepare for the next steps. Dignity Health offers breast and cancer services to support patients throughout diagnosis and treatment.