Common Tests Used To Diagnose Cancer

Biopsy

Some individuals who are suspected of having cancer may need to undergo a tissue biopsy to determine the underlying cause of their symptoms. A biopsy is a procedure where a sample of tissue is removed from an individual's body and sent to a lab to be examined underneath a microscope. This microscopic examination serves the purpose of revealing abnormal cells that may be cancerous or precancerous. Some biopsies can be performed with an endoscopic procedure, while others are guided with the use of diagnostic imaging like MRIs, CT scans, or ultrasound. The most common parts of the body that are biopsied due to suspected malignancy include the breast, bone marrow, lungs, bladder, lymph nodes, skin, gastrointestinal tract, liver, and colon. Depending on the shape, size, characteristics, and location of the abnormality, the patient's physician determines which method is used to carry out the biopsy. Some biopsies of lumps just underneath the skin can be performed with a sterile needle and do not require the use of imaging guidance to carry out. When a needle removes any substance from a mass in an individual's body using a needle, it is referred to as an aspiration biopsy.

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