A pair of hands holding a red cancer ribbon

Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Did your annual mammogram detect something suspicious? Diagnosing breast cancer includes additional imaging tests and biopsies. Learn what to expect along the process.
woman with breast cancer and pink bra with doctor checking x-ray looking for metastases
Stage 1 Breast Cancer: What You Need to Know
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Nurse preparing patient for mammography
What Can You Expect in Stage 3 Breast Cancer?
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
scientist looking at stage 2 breast cancer tumor sample
Stage 2 Breast Cancer: What to Expect
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
childhood cancer patient thinking about breast cancer screening when she grows up
Breast Cancer Screening for Childhood Cancer Survivors
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Radiologist reviewing results of patients mammogram
Why Don’t We Have Annual Ultrasounds Instead of Mammograms?
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
23 & Me kit
At-Home Genetic Tests for Breast Cancer
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
female radiologist looking at breast
Is Stage 0 Breast Cancer Actually Cancer?
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Female doctor consults patient with cancer
What It Means When Your Doctor Says You Have No Evidence of Disease
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
doctor palpating a patients abdomen
What Does It Mean When a Doctor "Palpates" Something?
Medically reviewed by Rony Kampalath, MD
Gynecology consultation
Hormone Receptor Status in Breast Cancer
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Female doctor talking to her patient and adjusting her position to do a mammogram
How to Understand Your Mammogram BI-RADS Score
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
woman pointing to a breast mass that's a breast cancer tumor
Distinguishing Breast Cancer Tumors From Benign Masses
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Breast Calcifications on a Mammogram
What Breast Calcifications Mean on Your Mammogram
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
A woman undergoing a mammogram.
Where to Find Low-Cost or Free Mammograms
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Importance of Mammary and Epithelial Cells With Cancer
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Woman pointing to area on mammogram x-ray, close-up
Oncotype DX Tests for Diagnosing Breast Cancer
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Cross section biomedical illustration of fine needle aspiration of breast lump
What Is Fine Needle Aspiration for Breast Biopsy?
Medically reviewed by Michael Menna, DO
Front view of female breast anatomy with a lump present
Lymph Node Status and Breast Cancer
Medically reviewed by Douglas A. Nelson, MD
Breast X-Ray
Malignant Breast Cancer Treatments
Medically reviewed by Douglas A. Nelson, MD
ultrasound wand
How Elastrography Helps Diagnose Breast Cancer
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Medical illustration of female breast, front and side view.
What is the Connection Between Areolas and Breast Cancer?
Medically reviewed by Rony Kampalath, MD
Female breast with internal anatomy including lymph nodes, alveoli, lobules ducts and muscle tissue
What Is Lymphoscintigraphy Imaging?
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Mammography
How Axillary Nodes Can Be Impacted by Breast Cancer
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
How Can a Breast Cancer Diagnosis Play Havoc with Your Emotions?
Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD
doctor explaining mammogram results to patient
Understanding Your Breast Tumor Size and Stage
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Doctors preparing patient for MRI scan
How Safe Is Gadolinium for a Breast MRI?
Medically reviewed by Douglas A. Nelson, MD
Woman prepared for surgery
Is Your State Preventing Drive-through Mastectomies?
Fact checked by Sheeren Jegtvig
physician looking at X-ray contemplating the difference between MRI and mammogram for breast cancer
Difference Between a Mammogram and a Breast MRI
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Doctors examining x-ray
Using MRI for Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Screening
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Woman speaking with her doctor
What to Know About Stage 4 Breast Cancer
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
breast biopsy
What to Expect During a Sentinel Node Biopsy
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
ultrasound wand
Breast Imaging That's More Detailed Than a Mammogram
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
test tubes of blood looking for tumor markers with breast cancer
What to Expect From a Breast Cancer Tumor Marker Test
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Mixed Race doctor talking to patient
Ductogram for Diagnosing Nipple Discharge
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
doctor looking at MRI results of tumors
How Tumor Grade Is Used to Stage Breast Cancer
Medically reviewed by Douglas A. Nelson, MD
doctor explaining mammogram results to female patient
What You Should Know About Your Mammogram
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Nurse examining chest x-rays in hospital
When Is a Chest X-Ray Part of Breast Cancer Staging?
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
image of breast lump that needs a breast biopsy
Why a Breast Biopsy May Be Done
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Genetic testing in a lab
Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Woman getting mammogram, what do different findings look like in the pictures?
What Do Breasts Look Like on a Mammogram?
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
Doctor talking with patient in office
The Cancer Risk Associated With LCIS
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
breast biopsy
How Breast Cancer Is Diagnosed
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD
gene mutation illustrating the non-BRCA gene mutations that raise breast cancer risk
Non-BRCA Mutations That Raise the Risk of Getting Breast Cancer
Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD