Sources and standards
Written by a board-certified pathologists' assistant and checked against the current CAP cancer protocol for invasive breast carcinoma, ASCO/CAP breast biomarker testing guidelines, and standard surgical pathology references. The ink colors used here are a teaching convention, and practice cases are fictional. This lesson is for education only and does not replace training at the bench. Learners should always follow their own lab's protocol.
- Allison K, Krishnamurti U, Gilmore HL, Berman M, Klepeis V. Protocol for the Examination of Resection Specimens From Patients With Invasive Carcinoma of the Breast. Version 4.11.0.0. College of American Pathologists; June 2026.
- College of American Pathologists. Template for Reporting Results of Biomarker Testing of Specimens From Patients With Carcinoma of the Breast. Version 1.6.2.0. September 2026.
- Allison KH, Hammond MEH, Dowsett M, et al. Estrogen and progesterone receptor testing in breast cancer: ASCO/CAP guideline update. J Clin Oncol. 2020;38(12):1346-1366.
- Wolff AC, Hammond MEH, Allison KH, et al. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 testing in breast cancer: ASCO/CAP clinical practice guideline focused update. J Clin Oncol. 2018;36(20):2105-2122.
- Wolff AC, Somerfield MR, Dowsett M, et al. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 testing in breast cancer: ASCO-College of American Pathologists guideline update. J Clin Oncol. 2023;41(22):3867-3872.
- Lester SC. Manual of Surgical Pathology. 3rd ed. 2010. Chapter 15, "Breast", pp. 262–288.
- Portnow LH, Thornton CM, Milch HS, Mango VL, Morris EA, Saphier NB. Biopsy marker standardization: what's in a name? AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2019;212(6):1400-1405.