BIOPSY

Overview & Facts

A biopsy is a method wherein a small portion of tissue is taken and examined in the laboratory by a doctor. The doctor may suggest a biopsy if he or she suspects that something in the body is not normal. This abnormal part of the body may be a tumor, lesion or mass.

A biopsy is done if the doctor wants to rule out or rule in cancer.

Types

There are many types of biopsy. They may include the following:

Needle biopsy
CT-guided biopsy
Ultrasound-guided biopsy
Bone biopsy
Bone marrow biopsy
Liver biopsy
Kidney biopsy
Aspiration biopsy
Prostate biopsy
Skin biopsy
Surgical biopsy

Risks

A biopsy can bring about risks such as infection or bleeding. However, if the cut to the skin is small, these risks are also lower.

Preparation

The patient will have to prepare before a biopsy is done. These preparations include bowel preparation, consuming a clear liquid diet, or eating nothing by mouth. The doctor may also order some tests for you or has some instructions for you before the procedure. You should tell your doctor what medicines and supplements you are taking.

The doctor may then be giving a local anesthetic or a pain reliever to you before a sample is taken. The doctor will tell you whether you will need to be hospitalized or not.

Follow-Up

After the sample is taken, it will be sent to the laboratory for analysis. The results may be available right after the procedure or after one to two weeks.

Once the results are available, your doctor will interpret them and will talk to you about the findings so that you can also discuss the next steps to take. Your doctor will tell you whether there is cancer or not and at what stage. The results will also show the type of cancer and its aggressiveness.

If the results are negative for cancer, your doctor will suggest other tests or procedures.