Biopsy is an increasingly popular medical test, especially effective in diagnosing cancer. There are many types of biopsy such as: punch biopsy, needle biopsy, excisional biopsy,... suitable for different pathological conditions.

After you have a breast biopsy, the sample will be examined under a microscope by a pathologist. The pathologist will then send a report of the results to your doctor. The information in this report will be used to help manage your care. The questions and answers below will help you understand the medical terms you may see in a breast biopsy pathology report, such as a fine needle biopsy or an open biopsy. In a fine needle biopsy, a needle is used to take a sample of the abnormal area. An open biopsy removes the entire abnormal area and often some normal tissue around it. An open biopsy is similar to a type of breast-conserving surgery called a lumpectomy.

Diagnosing disease by looking for single cells or small clumps of cells is called cytology or cytopathology. It is an important part of diagnosis for some types of cancer.

Tissue or cell samples can be taken from any part of the body. How the tissue is taken depends on where the tumor is and what type of cancer is suspected. For example, the methods used for a skin biopsy are very different from those used for a brain biopsy. Some types of biopsies remove an entire organ from the body. These biopsies are only performed by surgeons. Other types of biopsies remove tumor samples through a small needle or through an endoscope. These biopsies are usually performed by surgeons, but can also be performed by other doctors.

Many people know that biopsy is used to diagnose cancerous lesions. However, patients still do not know how the biopsy is performed, and whether fasting is required before the biopsy?