CATT Care Plan

Your Cancer Diagnosis

Finding out you have cancer can be overwhelming. This page will help you learn more about your cancer. This may include the type, stage, and important facts about what makes up your cancer cells. Your cancer care team will review this with you. Keep this document to refer to later. You may want to share it with loved ones and other healthcare providers.

The information on this page is used by your care team to pick the best treatment for your cancer. Learning more about your cancer and treatment can help lessen your worries and help you get ready for treatment. Ask your cancer care team questions, and don’t be afraid to ask for support.

Invasive ductal carcinoma

Parts of the breast

You have a type of breast cancer called invasive ductal carcinoma or IDC.

There are several types of breast cancer. IDC is a type of "invasive" breast cancer. This means it started in a milk duct in the breast and spread (or invaded) into the tissue around the duct. This type of cancer needs to be treated. It can spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body such as the liver, lungs, and bones.

Pathology

Your tumor (or a piece of it) is sent to a laboratory for testing. The results of these tests are put into a report called a pathology report that is sent to your provider. This information is used to make treatment decisions. You may ask for a copy of this report for your records. Below is a summary of your results.

Hormone Status: ER+ and PR-

Estrogen Receptor Positive (ER+), Progesterone Receptor Positive (PR-)

Estrogen and progesterone may cause cancer cells to grow when the tumor has receptors for these hormones. Your tumor has estrogen receptors and does not have progesterone receptors. Treatment with hormone therapy can target the estrogen receptors to block estrogen from causing the tumor to grow.

HER2 status: Negative (HER2-)

Human epidermal growth factor 2, also called HER2, is a protein found on breast cancer cells. When there are extra receptors (called overexpression), the breast cancer may be more likely to grow faster, spread to other areas, or come back after treatment.

Your tumor does not have extra receptors. This is called HER2 negative (HER2-) breast cancer.

PIK3CA Mutation Testing

Your tumor was not tested for a mutation in the PIK3CA gene. This gene mutation contributes to cancer growing when it is present and can guide treatment. This testing is most often done when the breast cancer is metastatic.

Tumor Grade: 2

The tumor grade tells how different the cancer cells look from healthy cells. Your tumor is grade 2. The cells look different than healthy cells. The cancer cells grow faster than normal cells.

Staging

The stage of your cancer puts together the size of the cancer and if and where it has spread. The stage will help determine what treatments are best for you.

Breast Cancer Stage IIA (2A)

Your breast cancer is stage IIA (2A). Stage IIA means your cancer is either:

20 millimeters or less in size, and there is cancer in 1 to 3 lymph nodes OR,
20 to 50 millimeters in size, and has not spread to the lymph nodes OR,
No evidence of a tumor in the breast tissue, but there is cancer in 1 to 3 lymph nodes.

Lymph Node Status: Negative

Lymph node status tells whether or not the lymph nodes in your underarm area (called axillary nodes) contain any cancer. This is usually the first place cancer spreads from the breast.

Your lymph nodes were not found to have cancer cells. This is called lymph node negative. Your provider will talk with you about how this affects your treatment.

Your Breast Cancer Care Team

You are being referred to see the following specialists:

Breast Surgeon
Plastic Surgeon
Radiation Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Genetic Testing

Your cancer care team may include:

Breast and Plastic Surgeons: These doctors do the surgery to remove the tumor, remove lymph nodes for testing, and do breast reconstruction.

Oncologist: A doctor who manages the medications used to treat the cancer, such as chemo, hormone, and targeted therapies.

Radiation Oncologist: A doctor who treats cancer with radiation.

Radiologist: A doctor who reads imaging tests, such as mammograms, and may do your breast biopsy.

Navigator: A person who helps guide you through all of your treatments and schedules.

Oncology Nurse: Nurse who specializes in cancer care. They may give chemo or targeted therapy, give education, and can help you with any side effects that you may have.

Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Physician Assistant (PA): Healthcare provider with advanced training who works with the care team.

Genetic Counselor: A provider who helps you learn about genetic testing and how to use the results to lower your cancer risk.

Social Worker: A social worker can help with the financial impact of treatment, manage employment concerns, and help you cope with your diagnosis and the stresses that come along with it.

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