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Explore Biomarker Testing

Breast Cancer

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Biomarker testing can lead to precise breast cancer care.

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It may be a common cancer, but biomarker testing can show the traits that make each breast cancer subtype unique. It can help doctors move from one-size-fits-all care to more personalized treatment plans. Even if tests show no biomarkers, it's still important and helps your care team better evaluate treatment options.

Have questions? We can help you create a personalized guide for your next appointment.

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Did you know?

Your treatment plan can be based on your biomarkers.

Your plan could include targeted therapy — treatment designed to act on specific features of cancer cells, such as proteins or gene changes identified through biomarker testing, although it can also affect some normal cells.

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About biomarker testing

What are breast cancer biomarkers?

Cancer biomarkers are small signals in tumor cells, like gene changes or certain levels of proteins, that can show how your cancer behaves and how it may change, grow, or respond to treatment. Even two people with the same type of breast cancer can have very different biomarkers.

By testing for them, your care team can create an individualized treatment plan—and adjust it if the disease changes over time. Some common breast cancer biomarkers are HER2, estrogen and progesterone receptor proteins (ER and PR), and changes in genes such as PIK3CA.

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Let’s go over a few of the basics.

Biomarker testing can make a difference in your breast cancer care. You probably have questions. We have answers.

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Who should get tested?

Anyone who's been newly diagnosed with breast cancer, or is starting new or alternative care, should ask about biomarker testing.

It’s important for breast cancer because the tumor can grow quickly. By looking at the makeup of your cancer, testing can hep predict whether the tumor will grow slowly or aggressively—and can help your doctor assess the risk of recurrence.

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What will my results show?

In breast cancer, biomarker testing can show your subtype and reveal if you have actionable biomarkers that can guide more personalized care.

As you discuss results with your doctor, you’ll find that biomarker testing can also help track if your cancer has spread and is responding to care. Even if your results turn out inconclusive or negative, testing can still help your doctor evaluate your care options and let you know if you need to get tested again.

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Does this impact my care?

If you have any known biomarkers, your doctor can use that information to create, inform, or adjust a personalized treatment plan.

For example, there are treatments designed to target certain biomarkers: ER- and PR-positive cancers often respond to hormone therapy that blocks estrogen, while HER2-positive cancers may be treated with targeted therapy.

Biomarker testing ultimately reveals all of the unique traits that show if you’re eligible for targeted therapy, and predicts your possible response to immunotherapies. It can also guide your treatment goals, so your plan can be tailored to you.

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When do I talk to a doctor?

Ask about biomarker testing as soon as you’re diagnosed with breast cancer, if you start discussing new treatments, or when switching your treatment.

Having the conversation early can help put you on a better, more informed path, which can be critical in aggressive subtypes of breast cancer, like triple-negative.

In the case of breast cancer, your doctor may recommend comprehensive biomarker testing that looks for all recommended mutations at once. This way, your tailored treatment plan can start as soon as possible.

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What do I need to start asking about testing?

We know talking about biomarkers can feel overwhelming. Knowing what to ask, and having a few talking points ready, can help.

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Here’s how they’re tested.

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Tissue Biopsies

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Liquid Biopsies

Tissue Biopsies

One of the most common ways to test for breast cancer biomarkers is by collecting tumor tissue with a needle biopsy or surgery.

A tissue biopsy can find answers you can’t get any other way. By studying the tumor at a microscopic level, doctors can learn what's driving your cancer and if targeted therapies may help.

While needle biopsies don’t require an overnight stay, tissue sampling is a more invasive procedure that may require a hospital visit—but the clarity it brings can make a real difference in finding a treatment that fits your needs.

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Liquid Biopsies

In breast cancer, a liquid biopsy can be taken with a simple blood draw. It's most often used for patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Metastatic breast cancer is when the cancer has traveled to other parts of the body. Biomarker testing can provide deeper insight into this advanced stage, and point to specific mutations that are causing changes in the metastatic disease.

Since liquid biopsies are less invasive, they’re faster to complete and easier to repeat than tissue biopsies. But they do have their limits. The results may not always match tissue tests and may miss some cancer changes in the metastatic disease.

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Build your knowledge

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Biomarkers can change over time.

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Biomarker changes can occur over time and can reveal the way your tumor is growing or changing, or if it’s developing a resistance to treatment.

New biomarkers can indicate alternative treatment options that may work more effectively. That’s why it’s important to talk to your doctor about retesting before starting a new treatment plan.

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It’s actually true!

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Talk to your doctor

Do you have an appointment soon?

Get a full list of questions to ask about biomarkers, testing, and how it could impact your treatment plan.

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Still have questions?

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What biomarkers do doctors look for in breast cancer?

Some important biomarkers for breast cancer are estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) — but there are several other biomarkers that your doctor may test for as well. Make sure to ask about which biomarkers they’ll be looking for.

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Where do I go to get tested?

Where you begin biomarker testing will depend on your need for a tissue biopsy or a liquid biopsy.

One of the most common ways to test for breast cancer biomarkers is by collecting tumor tissue with a needle biopsy—an outpatient procedure that can be performed in a clinic or doctor's office. In certain cases, if surgery is needed it may require an overnight stay in the hospital.

A liquid biopsy is a simple blood draw that’s most often used for patients with metastatic or advanced breast cancer. Since liquid biopsies are less invasive, they usually happen in a doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital, with samples sent to a specialized lab for deeper evaluation.

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What should I understand about my test results?

When you get your test results, your doctor will go over them with you to help you understand what they mean and how they can be used to determine your treatment options. You’ll most likely discuss:

What biomarkers were found—or if no biomarkers showed up
What treatment options match those specific biomarkers, and which ones may be available to you
If there aren’t treatment matches—what potential clinical trials may be available for those biomarkers, or other treatment options

Build a biomarker discussion guide you can take to your next appointment.

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Will I need to get retested?

Depending on how well your current treatment is working, your doctor may want to have you retested for any changes to your disease and the biomarkers that may show up.

Since changes can occur over time, it can reveal the way your tumor is growing or changing, or if it’s developing a resistance to treatment.

New biomarkers can indicate alternative treatment options that may work more effectively.

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Are there communities and advocacy groups I can join?

There are many patient advocacy and support groups in the breast cancer community. Here are a couple to get you started with connecting to other patients and caregivers, as well as resources to support you during your journey:

lbbc.org

breastcancer.org

myfaultygene.org

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