{"id":16815,"date":"2022-12-20T15:00:13","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T21:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=16815"},"modified":"2022-12-20T10:22:59","modified_gmt":"2022-12-20T16:22:59","slug":"biopsies-only-sure-way-to-diagnose-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/biopsies-only-sure-way-to-diagnose-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Biopsies: only sure way to diagnose cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"

You went for your recommended cancer screening<\/a>, and it showed something suspicious. Immediately, your stress level went through the roof.<\/p>\n

What is it? How do we find out?<\/p>\n

That is where a biopsy comes into play. Biopsies do not cause cancer or spread it. They identify it.<\/p>\n

In basic terms, it is a procedure\u00a0to remove a tissue sample or cells from a suspicious area in your body. The sample can be removed in various ways and sent to a pathologist to identify.<\/p>\n

Can you diagnose without a biopsy?<\/h2>\n

The short answer is no. While imaging and blood draws can show suspicious areas or levels, removing tissue and studying it is the only way to diagnose cancer<\/a> 100%.<\/p>\n

Home tests to detect things like colon cancer only look for blood or DNA markers in your stool. If an at-home test is positive for cancerous cells, you will still need to visit your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment options.<\/p>\n

How long does it take? Where will I need to go?<\/h2>\n

\u201cIt varies. Sometimes, they can be done in your doctor’s office while others require you to go to a hospital or surgical center,\u201d said Manpreet Sandhu, MD,<\/a> medical oncologist and hematologist with OSF HealthCare. \u201cHow long it takes and where you have to go is largely based on the type of biopsy and what kind of anesthetic is required.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to remember that biopsies are not strictly for identifying cancer. They may also be performed to determine the cause of an unexplained sore, mole, infection, inflammation or other medical condition. Where the procedure is performed and how long it takes do not indicate cancer or the severity of a disease.<\/p>\n

Types of biopsies<\/h2>\n

There are three general methods. They are:<\/p>\n

Surgical<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bone marrow biopsies<\/em><\/p>\n

There are two types of bone marrow biopsies \u2013 aspiration and core. An aspiration samples a small amount of bone marrow fluid, while a core samples solid bone marrow tissue.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hipbones are a perfect place for us to check the quantity, size and maturity of both healthy and abnormal blood cells,\u201d Dr. Sandhu said. \u201cThe back of the hipbone provides easy access to bone marrow with the least amount of discomfort for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Excisional and incisional biopsies<\/em><\/p>\n

These types are used for large areas or tumors. Your surgeon will remove some or all of the affected layers of skin or larger tumors while you are under general anesthesia.<\/p>\n

Excisional procedures remove entire tumors, which includes sentinel node biopsy or removal of lymph nodes, while incisional only remove a small part for study.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, they\u2019ll use these methods and have the tissue studied while you\u2019re still under anesthesia,\u201d Dr. Sandhu said. \u201cWhile you\u2019re still under, they can remove more if needed, increasing their chances of getting the targeted cells.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shave or skin biopsy<\/em><\/p>\n

As the name implies, this procedure involves shaving off the top layers of skin for diagnosis.<\/p>\n

\u201cShave biopsies are great for diagnosing basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers and other skin ailments but not melanomas,\u201d Dr. Sandhu said.\u00a0\u201cThey usually only require a local anesthetic, and you can have them done in your doctor\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scope<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are situations where imaging and blood work are not enough, and surgery isn\u2019t practical. For those instances, a scope biopsy is performed.<\/p>\n

The scope, a specialized camera on the end of a thin tube,\u00a0is passed\u00a0through the rectum, mouth or a small incision, allowing pin-point precision with high-quality detail. Once the suspicious area is found, small samples can be collected for study.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany times, it\u2019s better to get in there and see what\u2019s going on,\u201d Dr. Sandhu said. \u201cThe scope allows us to do just that. In some instances, like a colonoscopy, they can remove precancerous polyps and prevent cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scope procedures get their name based on the organ or area viewed or treated. Some examples include:<\/p>\n