Any decision to go ahead with a mastectomy should be carefully considered and thoroughly discussed before it is taken. These are parts of a cancer cell which bind strongly to the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. It is thought that in some women, the cancer's drive to grow comes from these hormones. In general, it is a good sign if your cancer has plenty of oestrogen receptors and progesterone receptors, as this means it is likely to be sensitive to treatments which block the effect of hormones on the cancer. Without that drive from the hormones, the cancer won't grow as quickly.
Tamoxifen is one such treatment .
Other pre-operative tests You are likely to have other tests such as a full blood count and a blood test to check your kidney function. But other tests to look for cancer, such as chest x-ray, bone scan, liver ultrasound and CAT scan of the chest are not routine. Apart from telling you the type, size and spread of the cancer, these tests give important information which can help you work out your prognosis. The information obtained from the tests will also guide the choice of subsequent treatment. The views or opinions stated in external resources which are links on this home page do not necessarily reflect those of the National Breast Cancer Centre.