Are there further tests, after the cancer is already found?

After a breast cancer diagnosis, various tests are done to determine how quickly the cancer might grow, its likelihood of spreading, how effective certain treatments might be, and the chances of the cancer returning. These tests help guide decisions about the best treatment options. Those tests include: 

• Hormone receptors (Estrogen and progesterone receptor test): if your test for estrogen or progesterone receptor is negative, it means you can not benefit from endocrine therapy (treatment that blocks estrogen or progesterone receptor).

• HER2/neu protein test: If your test for HER2 protein is positive, you can benefit from drugs targeting HER2 protein. 

• Multigene tests: These multiple gene tests will help predict whether cancer will spread to other parts of the body or recur (come back).