Breast Cancer Staging

Breast cancer staging refers to the procedure of finding out the extent to which the cancer has spread once you have been diagnosed. The results of the biopsy and physical exam will determine the staging procedures that your doctor will conduct on you.

A chest x-ray is usually conducted to check whether your lungs have are already been affected by the cancer.

If a mammogram has not yet been done, extensive ones have to be done for a thorough view of your breasts.

Breast cancer can also spread to your bone therefore a bone scan has to be performed to check if any cancer is present. It is more effective compared to traditional x-ray because all the bones can be seen at the same time. The bone scan usually involves the injection of a radioactive material that is low level through your vein. The radioactive material changes color after some hours and is used by the camera to create an image of the skeleton. (more…)