Breast Biopsy
When other tests show that you might have breast cancer, you will probably need to have a biopsy. Needing a breast biopsy doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. Most biopsy results are not cancer, but a biopsy is the only way to find out for sure. During a biopsy, a doctor will remove small pieces from the suspicious area so they can be looked at in the lab to see if they contain cancer cells.
Types of breast biopsies
There are different kinds of breast biopsies. Some are done using a hollow needle, and some use an incision (cut in the skin). Each has pros and cons. The type you have depends on a number of things, like:
- How suspicious the breast change looks
- How big it is
- Where it is in the breast
- If there is more than one
- Any other medical problems you might have
- Your personal preferences
For most suspicious areas in the breast, a needle biopsy (rather than a surgical biopsy) can be done. Ask the doctor which type of biopsy you will have and what you can expect during and after the procedure.
Fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy
In an FNA biopsy, a very thin, hollow needle attached to a syringe is used to withdraw (aspirate) a small amount of tissue from a suspicious area. The needle used for an FNA biopsy is thinner than the one used for blood tests.
Core needle biopsy
A core biopsy uses a larger needle to sample breast changes felt by the doctor or seen on an ultrasound, mammogram, or MRI. This is often the preferred type of biopsy if breast cancer is suspected.
Surgical (open) biopsy
In rare cases, surgery is needed to remove all or part of the lump for testing. This is called a surgical or open biopsy. Most often, the surgeon removes the entire mass or abnormal area as well as a surrounding margin of normal breast tissue.
Lymph node biopsy
The doctor may also need to biopsy the lymph nodes under the arm to check them for cancer spread. This might be done at the same time as biopsy of the breast tumor, or when the breast tumor is removed at surgery. This can be done by needle biopsy, or with a sentinel lymph node biopsy and/or an axillary lymph node dissection.
Regardless of which type of biopsy you have, the biopsy samples will be sent to a lab where a specialized doctor called a pathologist will look at them. It typically will take at least a few days for you to find out the results.
Questions to Ask Before a Breast Biopsy
It’s important to ask questions if there’s anything you’re not sure about. Get a detailed list of questions to ask your doctor before getting a breast biopsy.
If the doctor doesn't think you need a biopsy, but you still feel there’s something wrong with your breast, follow your instincts. Don’t be afraid to talk to the doctor about this or go to another doctor for a second opinion. A biopsy is the only sure way to diagnose breast cancer.
Last Medical Review: October 3, 2019 Last Revised: October 3, 2019
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