What Are the Types of Biopsy Procedures Used to Diagnose Cancer?

Biopsies are medical procedures that involve taking a small sample of tissue from an organ or tissue for examination under a microscope. Biopsies are commonly used to diagnose cancer, as well as to determine the severity of the disease. Find out more about biopsy here so you can make an informed decision about which approach is right for you.

Needle Biopsy

Needle biopsies are used to collect cells or tissue from parts of the body that can’t be seen or felt. This information is then analyzed in a lab to find out the diagnosis. During a needle biopsy, a clinician inserts a long, thin needle directly into the suspicious area through your skin. The needle catches cell or tissue samples that are sent to a lab for analysis.

There are several types of needle biopsy procedures:

• Fine-needle aspiration biopsy – A clinician removes fluid or cells from your body using a very thin needle. The needle is pierced into suspicious areas, such as a swollen area or mass. A syringe attached to the needle is gently drawn back using its plunger thus taking a sample of the cells.
• Core needle biopsies – A clinician uses a hollow-core needle attached to a syringe to remove a cylinder of tissue from your body. The needle is pierced into the targeted area, and cells or tissue samples are gently pulled back into the needle.
• Vacuum-assisted biopsy – A suction device facilitates the removal of tissue or fluid from your body. The doctor inserts a thin needle through your skin and suctions out the sample.

Endoscopic Biopsy

Endoscopic biopsy is a type of biopsy that uses an endoscope to get into your body. The endoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and camera on one end. The clinician inserts the endoscope into your body through the mouth, urinary tract, or rectum. Once the endoscope is in place, a clinician uses the light and camera to see into your body.

Tissue is then collected using different instruments that run through the endoscope. Your surgeon may collect the sample directly by pushing or cutting pieces off or suctioning. 

Endoscopic biopsy procedures include:

• Bronchoscopy – This is a type of endoscopy used in the collection of tissue samples from the lungs. A clinician uses a bronchoscope inserted through the nose or mouth to see the inside of the lungs.
• Cystoscopy –  This type of endoscopy collects tissue samples from the bladder.
• Colonoscopy – This type of endoscopy collects tissue samples from the colon and rectum.

Skin Biopsy

A skin biopsy is a procedure used to remove cells or tissues from your skin. A small piece of tissue is removed using tools like a surgical blade. The tissue is then sent to a lab for analysis.

The kind of skin biopsy depends on where the sample is being taken from the body. For example, a punch biopsy removes a circular piece of skin from your arm, while a shave biopsy removes just the surface of the skin from your legs.

Skin biopsy procedures include:

• Shave biopsy – A clinician uses a surgical blade to remove just the skin surface.
• Punch biopsies – The provider uses a tool to remove a circular piece of your skin. The size of the punch varies depending on the area of the body.
• Incisional biopsy – For incisional biopsies, your clinician uses a scalpel to remove an area on your skin.

Biopsy of the Bone Marrow

A bone marrow biopsy is a procedure that removes small amounts of marrow from your bone. Bone marrow is the soft material found inside the hollow part of some bones.

The clinician uses a special tool called a trephine to collect bone marrow. Bone marrow biopsies are used for the diagnosis of blood cancers like leukemia.

Surgical Biopsy

A surgical biopsy is a procedure to remove tissue or fluid when health providers can’t use other procedures. For instance, surgical biopsies can remove a lump in the breast if a mammogram shows something unusual.

All or part of the lump or mass is removed during this biopsy. The tissue or fluid is sent to the lab for analysis. Local anesthetics such as lidocaine are used to numb the area before a surgical biopsy.

A biopsy involves the removal of tissue or cells for examination. This can be done in various ways, depending on where the tissue is being taken from the body. The most common type of biopsy is a needle biopsy, which uses a thin needle to remove small tissue samples. Other biopsies include image-guided biopsy, endoscopic biopsy, and skin biopsy. After removal,l the tissue samples are sent to a lab for analysis. Biopsies can diagnose various medical conditions, including cancers and blood diseases.