New and improved breast biopsies

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It may not happen a lot, but even once is too much. A woman being treated with chemo, radiation, even a mastectomy and she doesn't even have cancer. Now, there is a new test to make sure the results are your own.

This doctor is preventing a horrible mistake. By swabbing his patient's cheek, he avoids even one woman from hearing this:

"About 1000, maybe 1500, women are told 'Hey Mrs. Jones you have breast cancer,' and she does not," Andrew Kenler, MD, Breast Surgeon, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, Conn., told ABC30.

Dr. Kenler says so many steps go into testing breast biopsies that human errors can occur, and do. This simple DNA test ends the mix ups and, more importantly, the consequences.

"She can have unnecessary surgery, lumpectomy, mastectomy, (and) unnecessary chemotherapy," Dr. Kenler said.

He advises all his patients to take the know error test. It costs $300 and every positive breast biopsy is sent to the test's lab in Indianapolis to match with the DNA on file. A match means his patient is getting her correct results.

For Jacquelyn Conlon, it wasn't what she wanted to hear two years ago.

"I had stage 2A breast cancer," Conlon told ABC30.

She got the truth because as thousands of women are told they "do" have it but actually don't, another woman is being told she "doesn't" have it and she does.

"It gives you the confidence that your diagnosis is truly indeed your diagnosis," Conlon explained.

She got her answer, completed her treatment, and lives cancer-free today.

In some cases the test is covered by insurance, in instances where it is not, many women have chosen to pay $300 out of pocket and purchasing the know error test themselves.

If you would like more information, please contact:

Dr. Andrew Kenler
Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery
Yale School of Medicine
Breast Cancer Surgeon affiliated with Bridgeport Hospital/Norma F Phriem Breast Care Center andrewkenlermd@ynhh.org