Access information on common Breast cancer questions at Consumer Reports Health.

Breast cancer

Questions to ask your doctor

If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer, you may want to talk with your doctor to find out more.

Here are some questions you might want to ask:

Has my breast cancer spread outside my breast? What stage is it?
How big is my tumor?
Can I have surgery that removes only the lump (breast-conserving surgery) and not the whole breast (mastectomy)?
Did my breast cancer happen because of

genes
Your genes are the parts of your cells that contain instructions for how your body works. Genes are housed on chromosomes, structures that sit in the nucleus at the middle of each of your cells. You have 23 pairs of chromosomes in your normal cells, each of which has thousands of genes. You get one set of chromosomes, and all of the genes that are on them, from each of your parents.

genes I have inherited?
What will you do to find out if my breast cancer has spread to the

lymph nodes
Lymph nodes (also called glands) are small, bean-shaped lumps that you cannot usually see or easily feel. They are located in various parts of the body, such as the neck, armpit and groin. Lymph nodes filter the lymph fluid and remove unusual things, such as bacteria and cancer cells.

lymph nodes in my armpit?
What treatment will I need after surgery?
What side effects can I expect from surgery and other treatments?
Is my breast cancer encouraged to grow by the hormone estrogen? Is it

estrogen-receptor positive
Estrogen-receptor positive tumors are cancers that are encouraged to grow by the presence of the hormone estrogen.

estrogen-receptor positive?
Do I have HER-2 positive breast cancer (this means the cancer cells make too much of a

proteins
A lot of your body's tissues are made out of proteins. Proteins can be made in your cells. Proteins are also part of the food you eat, particularly meat and dairy products. Your body breaks down the protein you eat into amino acids. Your cells then use these amino acids to build new proteins, which make up muscles, joints, hair and other parts of your body.

protein called HER-2)?
Will my surgery be done by a specialist breast surgeon who does more than 20 breast operations a year? (This can be a difficult question to ask, but the risk of your cancer coming back where it first started depends on whether your surgeon removes enough of the tissue around your cancer along with the cancer itself. Studies show that experienced surgeons are better at doing this.)
Do any of my

lymph nodes
Lymph nodes (also called glands) are small, bean-shaped lumps that you cannot usually see or easily feel. They are located in various parts of the body, such as the neck, armpit and groin. Lymph nodes filter the lymph fluid and remove unusual things, such as bacteria and cancer cells.

lymph nodes have cancer cells in them? If so, how many?
How abnormal do the cancer cells look under a microscope? (This can tell you how likely it is that your tumor will spread and what kind of treatment you need.)
Will I need chemotherapy after surgery? If so, what type and for how long?
Will I need hormone therapy? If so, what type will I need and how long will I need to take it?
If I have a mastectomy, should I have breast-reconstruction surgery? If so, when should it be done and what sort of surgeon should do it?
Are the other women in my family more likely to get breast cancer? Should they have checkups more often?

This information was last updated on May 11, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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