RICHMOND, Va. -- When Tom Hanks' wife, actress Rita Wilson, recently revealed she had a double mastectomy, we also learned she had an underlying condition that put her at an increased risk for breast cancer. Wilson said her cancer was not detected after initial biopsies . The 58-year-old actress credited a second opinion for catching her cancer and urged other women to do the same.
"Pathologists almost always get benign and malignant diagnosis correct, but there are a small number of gray zone areas ," Dr. Charles Clevenger, Chair of the Department of Pathology at VCU Medical Center, said.
Dr. Clevenger said it was those gray zones where doctors don't agree 100 percent. It's those cells that have a high probability of becoming malignant and could lead to a conflicting diagnosis.
"Not everybody in the field of pathology who reads breast cancer diagnosis or makes diagnosis has the same training and sees the same number of cases," Dr. Clevenger said.
Pathologists are the ones who put the tissue under the microscope once the surgeon removes it from the breast. The pathologists are often the ones who make the diagnosis.
"It's important that if you are ever uncertain about diagnosis or your primary care doctor doesn't feel comfortable with that, you seek a second opinion from an expert in breast pathology," Dr. Clevenger said.
A woman diagnosed with breast cancer can ask for her pathology report. Dr. Clevenger said your primary care doctor or surgeon could help you understand what the report revealed.
