The role of the pathologist in the management of breast cancer

The pathologist is a consultant in breast cancer management whose responsibility is to establish the histologic diagnosis of cancer as well as its anatomic extent once sufficient tissue has been provided. The consultation also provides data that may be used to aid in selecting primary or adjuvant therapy, evaluating new therapies, estimating prognosis, and assessing outcome. Examples of such data are the TNM histopathologic classification of the anatomic extent of the cancer used for the stage grouping (T = the extent of the primary tumor, N = the absence or presence and extent of regional lymph node metastasis, and M = the absence or presence of distant metastasis); tumor size, histologic type, and histologic and/or nuclear grade; assessment of blood vessel and lymphatic vessel invasion; analysis of steroid receptors, and other special studies as appropriate.