Waiting for Your Biopsy or Cytology Test Results

There are often technical reasons for why it might take longer to get test results.

Proper preparation of a biopsy sample is important for the pathologist to be able to identify the cause of any symptoms or abnormal areas.

Some samples can be looked at immediately, while others can take a few days to be ready. For example, bone biopsies or samples of fatty tissues from places such as the breast tend to take longer to prepare.

For most large tissue samples, only selected areas are processed and examined. After the first sections of tissue are seen under the microscope, the pathologist might want to look at more sections to help make a diagnosis.

In these cases, extra pieces of tissue might need to be processed or prepared, which might add a few days to the testing time.

Although most cancers can be diagnosed by looking at routinely stained sections, sometimes special stains or other tests, such as histochemical or immunohistochemical (IHC) stains, might be needed to ensure an accurate diagnosis.

Other advanced tests can also take extra time, such as:

• Flow cytometry
• Electron microscopy
• Cytogenetics
• Molecular genetic tests

For some types of molecular tests, a tissue specimen might need to be sent out to a specialized central lab. These labs usually aren’t part of your cancer center or hospital. Depending on the tests being done, the reults might take as long as 2 to 3 weeks to come back.

Although most cancers can be diagnosed by looking at routinely stained sections, sometimes special stains or other tests, such as histochemical or immunohistochemical (IHC) stains, might be needed to ensure an accurate diagnosis.

Other advanced tests can also take extra time, such as:

• Flow cytometry
• Electron microscopy
• Cytogenetics
• Molecular genetic tests

For some types of molecular tests, a tissue specimen might need to be sent out to a specialized central lab. These labs usually aren’t part of your cancer center or hospital. Depending on the tests being done, the reults might take as long as 2 to 3 weeks to come back.

Test results might take longer to get for reasons that are neither technical nor medical.

For example, entering the pathology report into the computer can take time. Many labs submit the results right into the computer system, so you can see the results through the patient portal fairly quickly, but this isn’t always the case.