At the time you schedule your appointment, you will be asked to bring (to your appointment) your recent mammogram and/or sonogram films. You will also be asked to bring your actual pathology slides and report from the pathology department at the hospital where the biopsy was done.

Your films will be reviewed by the radiologist at the Baylor Breast Imaging Center and Dr. Grant. Your slides will be reviewed by a Baylor pathologist and a report will be issued. Once this has been accomplished, you will be taken to an exam room where an assistant will review your past medical history. Then Dr. Grant will join you and give you an extensive breast and axillary exam. Once this is completed you will get dressed and be taken to the library for a consultation. If you wish for your family or friends to hear the consultation, they may join you. At this time Dr. Grant will review with you his findings from your films, pathology, and examination. He will then further review what surgical options you have; such as preserving your breast (lumpectomy), removal of the breast (mastectomy) and axillary node dissection or sentinel lymph node biopsy. In the case of invasive cancer diagnosis, you may need to undergo additional pre-operative testing. You will also need to have some routine blood work drawn preoperatively. If lumpectomy is an option for you, you will be scheduled for a consultation with a radiation oncologist before surgery. If mastectomy is your choice and you are a candidate for immediate reconstruction, we will schedule a consultation for you with a plastic surgeon.

Dr. Grant will thoroughly explain to you the pros and cons of each procedure. All surgeries, with the exception of mastectomy, can be done on an out-patient basis. Dr. Grant will also explain to you the side effects of each surgical procedure. He will not be able to extensively discuss your prognosis at this point. Your surgery and pre-operative testing will need to be completed prior to that determination. You will, of course, also be given the opportunity to ask all of your questions. We highly recommend you make a list of your questions and bring them with you to your consultation.

Once surgery is complete and pathology has been finalized, you may be referred to a medical oncologist. The medical oncologist will have a consultation with you to determine if chemotherapy and/or anti- hormonal therapy will be of benefit for you.

View Scenario #2

Chemotherapy  back to top
Treatment with anti-cancer drugs.

Hormone Therapy  back to top
(ANTI-HORMONE THERAPY, ENDOCRINE MANIPULATION) Treatment of cancer by removing, blocking or adding hormones.

Lumpectomy  back to top
Surgical removal of the malignant tumor and a border of normal breast tissue. This procedure is then followed by radiation therapy. Lumpectomy can also be referred to as partial mastectomy, segmental resection, biopsy, or breast conserving surgery.

Modified Radical Mastectomy  back to top
The removal of the majority (98%) of the breast tissue, the nipple, the areola, and two thirds of the axillary lymph nodes.

Simple Mastectomy  back to top
The removal of the majority (98%) of the breast tissue, the nipple and the areola.

Medical Oncologist  back to top
A doctor who treats cancer with chemotherapy and hormonal therapy

Radiation Oncologist  back to top
A doctor who treats cancer with radiation therapy

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy  back to top
The first node(s) to which breast cancer cells are most likely to metastasize from the breast.