Breast Biopsy

A biopsy or needle aspiration is often the next step when a mammogram or ultrasound suggests an irregularity, or when the doctor can feel a lump that has persisted for two menstrual cycles, even if mammography or ultrasound shows no further clues.

In a traditional surgical biopsy, the doctor makes an incision in the skin to remove a sample of tissue from a suspicious area. The sample is sent to the pathology laboratory for analysis. The pathologist, a doctor that specializes in diagnosing diseases based on the microscopic appearance of cells and tissues, will look for signs of cancer. Surgical biopsies leave scars and may change the size and shape of the breast.

Today, doctors can often use newer techniques, such as core needle biopsy and fine needle aspiration, which have minimal cosmetic effects on the breast. This is a significant advantage, given that 80% of women who have biopsies turn out not to have cancer.

Next >>  Diagnosing Breast Cancer

In This Article:
Detecting Breast Cancer
Breast Self-Exam and Clinical Exam
Mammography
Breast Ultrasound
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Breast Ductogram
Breast Biopsy

From the Harvard Health Publications Special Health Report, Breast Cancer: Strategies for Living. Copyright 2004 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Illustrations by Harriet Greenfield, M.A., and Jesse Tarantino. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell. Harvard Medical School does not endorse products.
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