Breast biopsy for the patient is a method used to diagnose lumps found in the breast. It is also used to determine whether the lump in the breast is benign or malignant. In this method, a sample is taken from the breast cells or tissues.
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How is a Breast Biopsy Performed?
Breast biopsy is the process of taking a sample from tissue. The question of how a biopsy is performed is often asked. After the sample taken through biopsy is examined in the laboratory, the necessary diagnosis is made. It is determined whether there are any signs of cancer in the person's cells. The biopsy procedure usually lasts between 15-20 minutes. Local anesthesia is applied to the patient during the biopsy. General anesthesia is preferred in surgical biopsy operations. Therefore, general anesthesia is not required for this procedure.
What is Breast Biopsy Used For?
Breast biopsy was previously used solely to differentiate between normal tissue and cancerous tissue cells. Today, it is also used for diagnosis. Through breast biopsy, the genetic structure of cancerous tissue cells, the growth rate of the tumor, and the progression speed in other organs have been understood. Thanks to this ability, the type of biopsy or drugs that will affect the patient can be determined. Then, based on this, treatment options are decided.
What Are the Methods of Breast Biopsy?
Breast biopsy methods vary depending on the type of cancer. These methods are as follows:
- Fine needle biopsy
- Core needle biopsy
- Stereotactic breast biopsy
- Roll
- Incisional biopsy
- Excisional biopsy
How is Needle Biopsy Performed?
Needle biopsy comes in two forms.
- Fine needle biopsy is the process of taking a cell sample from the tissue inside the breast using a needle. It is a procedure that lasts for a few minutes. With a fine needle, fluid and cell samples are taken from the breast. This procedure is continued both to drain fluid from the lesion and to obtain samples.
- Core needle biopsy is the process of obtaining tissue and samples from the breast using a thick needle. The difference between these samples and those taken with a fine needle is that they are larger.
What is Stereotactic Breast Biopsy?
Stereotactic breast biopsy is also performed in two ways. They are as follows:
Wire-guided breast biopsy is used with the help of a special wire and ultrasound or mammography to locate the tumor or suspicious area before surgery. This ensures that the doctor removes less or more of the tumor or suspicious area during surgery.
Vacuum-assisted biopsy: In this process, tumors that cannot be felt by hand but can be seen in mammography and MRI are removed. Benign small masses can also be removed without surgery using this method. This method allows for the collection of a larger number of tissue samples, significantly increasing the chances of accurate diagnosis.
What is Roll Breast Biopsy?
Roll breast biopsy is quite similar to wire-guided biopsy in terms of procedure. However, in this biopsy, instead of a wire, a radioactive substance is used. This substance is injected around the tumor area from the needle tip. Before surgery, the marked area is detected with a device called a Gamma Probe, and the surgery is performed accordingly.
What is Incisional Biopsy?
Incisional biopsy is a type of open surgical biopsy. In this procedure, a sample is taken from the suspicious mass through open surgery, and it is sent for examination. However, the use of incisional biopsy has become obsolete today because tissue samples can be taken without open surgery.
What is Excisional Biopsy?
Excisional biopsy is an open surgical biopsy. In this procedure, not only a sample but the entire mass inside the breast tissue is removed. However, this method may not always allow for the removal of the entire mass. In this case, a second surgery may be required. Since a second surgery would be riskier and more exhausting for the patient, this method is generally not recommended.
