This information has been reviewed by:
Dr Meron Pitcher (Chair VCOG Breast Cancer Committee), Surgeon, Western Hospital
If you or your doctor find an unusual change in your breast there are 3 types of tests commonly used to help find the cause
of the change. This is known as the ‘triple' test and involves:
Your doctor will examine your breasts by feeling and looking at them. If you have noticed a specific change such as a lump, try to locate the area clearly. This will help your doctor with the examination. Your doctor may also ask if there is a history of breast cancer in your family.
Your doctor may then advise you to have some tests so that a definite diagnosis can be made and to make sure your problem is not cancer. These tests may include one or more of the following.
If you have a breast change such as a lump, a mammogram is often used to help work out exactly what the breast change is. A mammogram is a low-dose x-ray of the breast tissue and only takes a few minutes. To investigate a breast change, x-rays may need to be taken from several different angles. When a breast x-ray (mammogram) is taken, the breast is flattened between 2 plates of the x-ray machine for a few seconds. It can find very small breast cancers that cannot be felt.
Other tests are often needed to work out whether or not the breast change is breast cancer or a benign (not cancerous) breast condition.
An ultrasound test uses high-frequency soundwaves to scan your breasts. It is similar to the ultrasound used for women who are pregnant. Ultrasound does not use radiation.
A radiographer moves a probe (which looks something like a microphone) across your breast for this test. An image shows up on a screen (like a television screen). A solid lump will look solid on the screen while a fluid-filled cyst will look hollow.
Ultrasound is often used to help investigate breast changes in young women because their breasts are dense and may be difficult to read on mammogram.
Your doctor will use a syringe with a very fine needle to take fluid or cells from the area in your breast that is being investigated. This can be uncomfortable but is not usually painful. If a lump is just a cyst, taking fluid in this way will usually make the cyst disappear. However, if a lump is solid, your doctor may use this test to take some cells from it. The cells will then be sent to a laboratory for further tests.
This is a way of taking a tiny piece of breast tissue using a wider needle. It is used when fine-needle aspiration hasn't provided enough information.
Local anaesthetic is used to numb the breast area before the tissue is taken, however there can be some discomfort after the procedure. The tissue is then sent to the laboratory for testing.
If the area of the breast that needs investigation is deep within the breast or difficult to reach with a needle, a surgical biopsy may be needed. Surgical biopsies are normally done in hospital under general anaesthetic (which means you will be unconscious).
The lump or sample of tissue is removed so it can be tested in a laboratory. You will need to stay in hospital for a day, but normally not overnight. The amount of tissue taken depends on where the lump is and how big it is.
If you are unsure about how the biopsy will be done, ask the surgeon to tell you exactly what is involved. You may want to ask about the position and size of the scar, whether you will feel any pain or discomfort, how long you will need to recover and when you will get the results.
Having a breast problem can be very stressful, particularly if you need lots of tests. While you may be happy to get clear results, it may still take a little while to stop worrying. Ask your doctor about further check-ups. Talking with your partner, family or friends can be helpful, or you can call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20.
