What is the significance of the reported size of the tumor?
The pathologist typically will measure the greatest dimension of the tumor as seen under the microscope or, if it is visible, by gross (naked eye) examination. Not all cancers on needle biopsy are given a measurement, because they may not be accurate, sampling only a portion of the tumor. A more accurate measurement will be done on the subsequent resection of the entire tumor by lumpectomy or mastectomy.
