Breast biopsy

The breasts are composed of adipose tissue alongside supporting tissue and glandular tissue, which is responsible, among other things, for milk production. The structure and content of the breast changes not only with age, but also with changes in hormones during the menstrual cycle.

Various findings in the breast - whether they were excised by the patient or found in a screening test - may require further examination to determine their nature. One of these exams is a breast biopsy.

When should a breast biopsy be performed?

A biopsy is a procedure in which a small sample is taken from the tissue. The sample is then examined in the laboratory by a pathologist, who can find out if it is a benign or cancerous lump. Accordingly, the biopsy helps determine the continuation of treatment - if necessary.

A breast biopsy is used as a follow-up examination in various cases where a lump in the breast is present, there is a suspicious finding on a mammogram or ultrasound, or there are changes in the shape, texture or discharge from the nipple.

The course of the procedure

There are several methods for taking a sample from the breast. The method is chosen, among other things, according to the breast structure and the location of the suspicious finding.

In some cases a small sample can be taken with a fine needle (fine needle aspiration or FNA), but in many cases of lumps in the breast the sample is taken with a hollow needle that allows sampling of a larger piece of tissue (core needle biopsy). In both cases the sample is about the size of a grain of rice.

Some biopsies use different imaging to make sure the sample was taken from the suspected area - a stereotactic biopsy (using mammography) or a biopsy under ultrasound.

In some cases it is necessary to make an incision in the breast to take a sample from the growth - a surgical biopsy. In this case, the suspicious lump is extracted in its entirety. Sometimes the surgeon uses a pre-laid wire inside the block under imaging.

In most biopsy methods, with the exception of surgical biopsy, local anesthesia is sufficient.

Preparation before the procedure

A surgical evaluation before the biopsy will help select the appropriate approach for taking a sample of the suspected lump. Sometimes additional simulations are needed. When the procedure is performed under local anesthesia, no further evaluation is needed.

Recovery after breast biopsy

The biopsy is done under local anesthesia, therefore, you can return home on the day of the procedure. Proper dressing, painkillers and topical cooling with an ice pack can help with quick relief, according to medical staff guidelines. After a surgical biopsy, stitches are sometimes left on site.

Biopsy results are received within a few weeks from the day of the test. Depending on the results, you will be instructed on the further follow-up or treatment required.

Possible complications

After a breast biopsy, there may be swelling, bleeding, or infection in the specimen excised area. In rare cases, structural changes may be seen in the breast, depending on the size of the sample taken.