Tests to determine growth rate?
Meet the Experts
Beth Baughman DuPree, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a general surgeon with a focus in breast cancer care and the CEO and medical director of the Comprehensive Breast Care Institute at DSI of Bucks County, PA.
Ann Ainsworth, M.D. is a surgical pathologist at Paoli, Bryn Mawr, and Lankenau Hospitals in Pennsylvania.
Marisa Weiss, M.D., a Philadelphia oncologist, is the founder and president of Breastcancer.org.
Question from Michey: Are the "S-phase fraction" and "Ki-67" tests the only tests to determine how fast the breast cancer is growing? Which procedure do you use and why?
- Answers —Beth DuPree, M.D., F.A.C.S.: Currently, my pathology department does not report S-phase or Ki-67 index. This is because we are relying more on the estrogen progesterone receptor, the HER2 status, and the tumor grade.
- Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: These two tests of how fast the cancer is growing have limited usefulness when it comes to understanding the nature of the cancer and figuring out the best treatment plan. The tests are good, but they tend to be unreliable, so you can't depend on them too much. There are other ways of figuring out if the tumor is aggressive and fast growing. The tumor grade largely reflects this issue.
The presence of a HER2 abnormality, lymphatic/vascular invasion, lymph node involvement, and absence of hormone receptors all go along with a more aggressive problem. But even if there is an aggressive cancer identified, there are effective treatments that can be used to successfully combat it.
On Wednesday, November 17, 2004, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Your Operative and Pathology Reports. Beth Baughman Dupree, M.D., F.A.C.S. and Ann Ainsworth, M.D. answered your questions about details of pathology and operative reports and the importance of discussing them with your doctors.
The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.
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