How to prepare for your visit with a breast surgeon

One in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Usually, a breast surgeon is the first doctor you will meet after your diagnosis. Following these tips will make sure that we can give you a definitive plan, which may include surgery or chemotherapy.

1. Your medication list. We need to know about all of the medications you are taking. We can also tell you if a medication should be stopped prior to surgery.

2. Your prior breast images. If your mammograms were done elsewhere, we need to see them. The images come on a CD and bringing the CD and reports to your visit allows us to make sure you don’t need further tests before surgery.

3. Your pathology report. The doctor who originally gave you your diagnosis will probably have a copy. Otherwise, you can ask the radiology center that performed the biopsy. Check your pathology report yourself, make sure it says three things: a) the type of cancer they found (invasive or in-situ, ductal or lobular, etc), b) the estrogen receptor (positive/negative), and the Her-2 status (positive/negative). It would also be helpful to bring any reports from previous breast biopsies.

4. Your family history. This may require a family discussion but the more details you know about who had what type of cancer, and at what age, the better we can determine if you may benefit from genetic testing prior to surgery. If someone in your family has had genetic testing, ask if they will share the report with you or provide you with a copy.

5. The contact information of your primary care doctor or any specialists you see. If you have a complex medical history, it may be helpful for your surgeon and your primary doctor to speak directly.

6. A valid ID and current insurance card, just like any other doctor’s visit.

7. Lastly, a friend or family member to take notes. You may receive a lot of info during your visit, which can be overwhelming. It us helpful to have someone there who can also ask questions.

Most of the time, we can obtain the above information, but this can take weeks which may delay your surgery. Bringing the above information allows your team to formulate your treatment plan in an efficient manner. Knowing the above helps you to actively participate in your care.