CANCER / BIOPSY

A biopsy is a sample of tissue taken from the body in order to examine it more closely, it is recommended when an initial test suggests an area of tissue in the body isn't normal.

While a biopsy may sound scary, it’s important to remember that most are entirely pain-free and low-risk procedures. Depending on your situation, a piece of skin, tissue, organ, or suspected tumor will be surgically removed and sent to a lab for testing.

At VSLC, for various cancer types, a biopsy is the main way our doctor diagnose it. During a biopsy, a doctor removes a small amount of tissue to examine under a microscope. Other tests can suggest that cancer is present, but only a biopsy can make a diagnosis.

The renowned doctor here, may call an area of abnormal tissue a lesion, a tumor, or a mass. These are general words used to emphasize the unknown nature of the tissue. The suspicious area may be noticed during a physical examination or internally on an imaging test. The removal of tissue or cells for analysis is called a biopsy.

If you have been experiencing symptoms normally associated with cancer, visit VSLC and consult our doctor immediately. A biopsy is the only sure way to diagnosis most cancers. Imaging tests like CT scans and X-rays can help identify areas of concerns, but they can’t differentiate between cancerous and noncancerous cells.

Biopsies are typically associated with cancer, but just because a doctor orders a biopsy, it doesn’t mean that you have cancer. Doctors use biopsies to test whether abnormalities in your body are caused by cancer or by other conditions.