Biopsy and Scan Reports- What Your Cancer Doctor Looks for First
When you get the results of biopsy and scan analysis, all you can see are unfamiliar terms on each page. Understanding the information that a cancer doctor looks at first will help you interpret your reports and have more questions to ask. Why Biopsy and Scan Reports Work Together A biopsy tells doctors what the tumor is made of. Scans show where it sits and how far it has spread. Surgeons read both side by side because neither gives the full picture alone. What the Biopsy Report Shows It confirms whether the cells are cancerous and names the exact type. It also has a grade, showing how fast this cancer can grow. What the Scans Show CT, MRI, and PET-CT scan results show the size and location of tumors and their spread to nodes or organs. This helps decide whether the tumor can be removed safely. Questions You Can Ask the Surgeon About Biopsy and Scan Report The questions below usually come up in this order. Is cancer confirmed, and what type is it? How big is the tumor, and where ...