What is a tissue biopsy, and what does the procedure involve?

[Anonymous]

What is a tissue biopsy, and what does the procedure involve?

[Genetic Counselor]

A tissue biopsy is a medical procedure in which a sample of cells or tissue is physically removed from the body so it can be examined under a microscope and tested in a laboratory. Unlike a liquid biopsy, which analyses fragments of tumour DNA circulating in blood or other body fluids, a tissue biopsy provides an actual piece of the tumour or suspicious tissue itself.

The sample can be obtained in several ways, depending on the location and accessibility of the tissue:

1. Needle biopsy: A thin or wide needle is inserted through the skin to withdraw a small core or sample of tissue, often guided by ultrasound or computed tomography imaging
2. Surgical biopsy: A surgeon removes part of the tissue (incisional) or the entire lump or lesion (excisional) through an operation
3. Endoscopic biopsy: A thin tube with a camera is passed into the body, such as through the mouth, airway, or digestive tract, to reach and sample tissue from internal organs
4. Bone marrow biopsy: A needle is used to draw a sample from inside the bone, typically the hip, to examine blood-forming tissue

Once collected, the tissue sample is processed, stained, and examined by a pathologist, and portions of it may also undergo genetic and molecular testing.

[Author]

Posts