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Can a Biopsy Spread Cancer? Separating Myths from Facts
By Raveena M Prakash
Biopsies are an essential part of diagnosing cancer, but people often fear getting biopsies because of some misconceptions. One of the common myths about biopsies is that performing these procedures on a patient might spread cancer to other body parts. But here's the truth: cancer biopsy is a crucial part of cancer treatment. These are mostly safe and reliable. The chances of any cancer growth are relatively low and rare.
If your doctor suggests you undergo a biopsy for the diagnosis, and if you are confused about whether to get the biopsy or not, then read further!
In this article, we’ll discuss the types of biopsy, clarify some of the common myths, and clear up the facts about this procedure.
What is a biopsy?
Biopsy is a significant procedure in a cancer diagnosis, where the medical pathologist removes the suspected cells, tissues, and fluids to determine the presence of cancer. Sometimes, your doctors recommend biopsies to diagnose or monitor the current health conditions or plan treatments for patients.
However, there are several types of biopsy, Including:
Needle biopsy (FNA): It uses needles to extract cells, fluids or tissues from the patients. An oncologist often suggests a needle biopsy when they find any unusual lump or bump on the body. This is also known as the least invasive procedure because it involves needles rather than any surgical procedure.
Surgical biopsy: In this procedure, the surgeon cuts through the skin to remove any abnormal cells or tissues, which are later checked under a microscope. There are two types of surgical procedures there, including incision and excision. Incisional biopsies are used when a part of a lump or small tissue is removed. In an excisional biopsy, an entire lump or area is removed, also known as an open biopsy.
Liquid biopsies: This minimally invasive procedure uses blood tests to detect any signs of cancerous cells or cancer cell DNA in the blood samples.
Core biopsy: This process uses a large, hollow needle to obtain tissue and cell samples from suspected areas. It is commonly used to diagnose breast cancer and any other abnormalities in patients.
Common myths about cancer biopsies
Cancer biopsies are generally considered safe and precise. Biopsies are a standard diagnostic procedure for cancer. Biopsies are an essential tool for diagnosing and determining the treatment plan for cancer patients. There are some misconceptions that often misguide cancer patients into getting biopsies.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the facts about all these misconceptions.
Myth 1: biopsy cause cancers to spread
Many people are concerned that performing a biopsy could cause cancers to spread. Inserting a needle or cutting a tumor could cause cancer to spread in the body, and it can start to spread into the tissues and distant organs.
However, these are only misconceptions, the early cancer treatments and imaging tests are safe and precise. Most of the diagnosis tests follow rules and regulations. Biopsies are approved and considered as a standard treatment procedure for cancer. All of these myths are based on misinformation, and none of them are true.
Myth 2: Biopsy can increase cancer stage
This is another misconception about biopsy, but in reality it cannot increase the cancer stage of the patients. There is no evidence that biopsy can increase the cancer stage. Getting a biopsy in the initial stages saves lives by getting immediate treatments without any delay.
However, there are some studies that claim that cancer spread after a needle biopsy can also happen, but it's mostly rare. This condition is called tumor seeding.
Myth 3: Negative biopsy means that you are cancer-free
A negative biopsy result comes as a great relief to many cancer-suspected patients. However, a negative result only means no cancer cells are present in the tissue sample. It doesn’t guarantee or mean that you are completely cancer-free!
Sometimes cancer cells are not present in the sample, especially in cases where the abnormality is quite small or difficult to locate cancer in the body. In such situations, the majority of oncologists suggest additional tests to confirm the presence of cancer cells.
Myth 4: Biopsy can cause rapid tumor growth
Biopsy won’t cause any rapid growth of tumors in cancer patients. However, the chance of tumor seeding is very rare and low these days. The procedures are always performed by experienced medical pathologists with utmost care and precision. This process does not cause any tumor growth or influence the speed of growth in patients.
Myth 5: Biopsies are always painful and its risky
Biopsies are not always painful, and these are considered low-risk processes. Most of the biopsy procedures are relatively painless and quick and involve minimal discomfort. The risks and dangers associated with getting biopsies are comparatively low. The level of pain experienced during the process mainly depends on the types of biopsy. Additionally, the pain depends on the overall sensitivity level of patients.
For instance, many cancer biopsies, including needle biopsies, use local anesthesia to numb the area. It helps to ensure that the procedure will be painless, and it avoids any complications.
Myth 6: Biopsies are only suggested when you have cancer
If your doctor recommends a biopsy, it doesn’t mean you have cancer. Biopsies are frequently used to diagnose health issues such as inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases. An oncologist suggests a biopsy as a precautionary procedure to find out about any types of diseases, including cancer.
In some cases, performing biopsies helps to find out about benign tumors (non-cancerous) conditions that can often be treated or monitored without any aggressive medical interventions.
Consult Today
Does performing a biopsy cause cancer to spread in a patient? Here’s the answer: no. Modern biopsies are highly safe and precise and are considered essential for the treatment of cancer. Don't let fear get in the way of getting timely medical intervention. Understand that your health is highly important, and try not to delay. Trust your cancer specialists, ask necessary questions, and get the medical attention you need.
At Oncare, we offer high-quality cancer treatments at affordable price packages with experienced cancer specialist consultation.
If you or any loved ones of yours are diagnosed with cancer, then visit Oncare Cancer Center and book an appointment with our experienced cancer specialists now! Get an estimated cost of cancer diagnosis and biopsies now!
Frequently Asked Questions
A negative biopsy doesn’t reassure you that you are completely cancer free. This test results only indicates that no cancerous cells are present in the sample. There are chances of false results, where the cancer is missed or couldn’t locate in the sample.
In most cases, getting a biopsy doesn't necessarily need hospitalization. Currently, many biopsies use needles to perform biopsies. There are some complex biopsies which include surgical procedures or some require local anesthesia, which might require hospitalization.
No, there are several biopsies used to diagnose and measure treatments for cancer patients. Each procedure includes several methods, and it contains several goals depending upon the type of cancer, and its location and nature of tissues present in the sample.