Currently, the number of oncological diseases is growing every day. There are many prerequisites for this, but in such situations it is very important to correctly and quickly diagnose, only then can the effectiveness of treatment be achieved. There are many methods for diagnosing cancer, one of which is a biopsy. The types and significance of this method may be different, we will try to get to know them in our article.
The essence of the biopsy
This study is intended to clarify the diagnosis or clarify an existing one. The biopsy accuracy is almost 100%. During the study, a small area is taken from any organ, depending on the location of the tumor and pathology.
If cancer is suspected, a biopsy is prescribed first. During biopsy, biological material is taken and examined under a microscope. If there is a development of a cancerous tumor or other pathological process, then changes always begin in the tissues, which simply cannot be overlooked under a microscope.
Types of Biopsy
Types of biopsies can be different, they can even differ depending on the field of medicine:
- Puncture biopsy. For research, biological material is taken using a syringe or an aspiration gun.
- Brushstrokes. Such a biopsy comes down to applying a glass slide to the surface of the tumor to get a little material for study.
- An excisional biopsy involves the complete removal of the tumor along with surrounding tissues.
- An incision biopsy is a collection of biological material from a tumor itself.
- Trepan biopsy. It is carried out using special needles, with their help a column of tissue from the neoplasm is obtained.
Not only various types of biopsies are ejected, but also methods of taking biological material for research.
Biological material collection methods
Depending on the location of the tumor, doctors use one or another method of taking material.
Fine needle biopsy. In this form, the material is taken with a needle, which is introduced into the pathological site.
Imprint smears are taken from the cervix when cancer is suspected.
A thick-needle biopsy involves obtaining more tissue, for example, with suspected oncology of the liver, prostate gland, and mammary glands.
Aspiration biopsy. Material is drawn using an aspirator. This method allows you to get multiple tissue fragments simultaneously.
The sampling of the material can be carried out under the control of scanning, it can be x-ray, MRI or ultrasound. They allow the doctor to control the position of the needle.
A biopsy may be performed during surgery.
Material sampling during endoscopy or fibrogastroduodenoscopy. This method is often practiced with suspected cancer of the colon, stomach, and esophagus.
Given the severity of the pathology, its localization, the doctor decides on the method of collecting material for cytological examination.
Laboratory Tumor Biopsy
No matter what types of biopsies the doctor uses, cytological diagnostics will make it possible to make an accurate diagnosis. After the biological material is taken, it is sent to the laboratory for a series of studies.
Perform histological examination of tissues. The previously taken material is dehydrated with special fatty solutions so that it can then be saturated with paraffin. Then make the thinnest sections and place on a glass slide. For better visibility, the preparations are often stained.
A cytological examination is performed . The process of preparing the seized tissue is practically no different from the previous study. But there is a fundamental difference in cytology - oncological diseases are established by the qualitative characteristics of a cancerous tumor. This method of study is considered less informative, but if it is impossible to remove a piece of tissue, it is optimal.
Types of Breast Biopsy
Breast cancer is a fairly common pathology among the female population. This type of oncology is currently quite amenable to therapy if it is detected in the early stages, but not all women take their health seriously, which sometimes leads to sad consequences. Often we go to the doctor when the disease has gone too far. To make an accurate diagnosis in the diagnosis of breast diseases, use the following types of biopsies:
- Fine needle aspiration. It is used when the pathological area in the chest is well felt. At the same time, a woman can sit, the biopsy site is well treated with an antiseptic solution, a thin needle is inserted, then a small amount of tissue or fluid is drawn with a syringe, if it was a cyst.
- Stereotactic fine needle biopsy. Using a needle, tissues are taken for examination from different places of the tumor. With a deep location of the pathology, they resort to ultrasound or mammography to take the material to accurately determine the location of the tumor.
- A large needle biopsy of the mammary gland is performed to obtain a large area of tissue. For this, a thick needle with a special cutting device is used.
- An incision biopsy is performed under local anesthesia, since it is necessary to obtain a piece of tissue of the tumor itself.
- An excisional biopsy is a kind of small operation, during which the doctor excludes only part or all of the tumor, it all depends on its size.
What pathologies of the mammary glands are prescribed biopsy
Different types of biopsies in oncology are important, but such a study can identify other diseases, or rather, exclude oncology with them:
- mastitis, which often develops in lactating women;
- mastopathy, it comes in various forms and one of them can go into oncology;
- breast cyst;
- fibroadenoma;
- intraductal papilloma.
With all these pathologies, a biopsy is necessarily done to exclude a more serious disease and accurately diagnose it.
Cervical Biopsy
We examined what a biopsy is (definition, types in breast cancer), but it is also a common study for cervical pathologies. A gynecologist appoints such a procedure and pursues the following goals: confirm, clarify or refute the diagnosis that was made after a cytological examination.
The basis for the appointment of a biopsy of the cervix is the presence of the following pathologies:
- erosion, because the disease can be a symptom of cancer;
- a detected seal or neoplasm during examination;
- positive reaction to HPV;
- altered cell structures that were identified after cytological examination;
- exophytic candidiasis.
Types of cervical biopsies can be used different, depending on the purpose and size of the pathological site. Here are the types that are most commonly used:
- A targeted biopsy is performed with a thin needle under the control of a colposcope.
- Loop, or radio wave, biopsy. During it, a loop of wire is applied to the area that should be studied, and a current is passed through it, which leads to necrosis. The material thus obtained is not damaged and is ready for investigation.
- A wedge-shaped biopsy is performed with a scalpel. Epithelial and connective tissue is excised to a depth of 3 mm. After this intervention, stitches are applied.
Types of cervical biopsies are selected by the doctor, taking into account all indicators.
Cervical Biopsy Technique
The need for a cervical biopsy is necessarily discussed with the patient. The doctor informs the woman about the possible consequences and takes her written consent to carry out the procedure. It is carried out on the 5-7th day of the monthly cycle.
Before collecting material, the cervix is carefully treated with an antiseptic solution. The process is controlled using mirrors or a colposcope. If a lot of intervention is required, then anesthesia is performed.
Taking into account the type of biopsy, excision of the entire pathological site or part of it occurs. After the procedure, the wound is treated with a hemostatic composition and, if necessary, sutures are applied.
What can the results of a cervical biopsy say?
After the removal of the biological material, it is sent for histological and cytological examination, which allows you to identify the following pathologies:
- carcinoma;
- dysplasia;
- background processes of various origins.
During the study, the terrible diagnosis may not be confirmed, but minor changes in the cellular structures that can be triggered are found:
- benign tumors;
- infectious diseases;
- hormonal disorders.
A cervical biopsy is one of the main diagnostic procedures. Its results allow you to make a diagnosis with an accuracy of 100%, which greatly facilitates the choice of treatment tactics for the doctor.
Recommendations for patients before biopsy
Very often, a biopsy procedure is performed directly in the doctor’s office, whether it is a mammologist, gynecologist or other specialist. In very rare cases, hospitalization is required.
Before the procedure, the doctor must inform the patient of the following information:
- You will have to temporarily stop taking anticoagulants.
- Stop taking anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Do not take Aspirin and its analogues in the next few days before the procedure.
- If instability of the emotional state is noticed, then the doctor recommends taking sedatives.
- Before carrying out the procedure itself, you should not eat or drink.
- It is necessary to monitor compliance with aseptic and antiseptic.
If the doctor first discusses all these issues with the patient, then, as a rule, the procedure goes as usual.
Adverse Effects of a Biopsy
We examined what a biopsy, species, value is. There are different methods of study, but this is the most informative, it allows you to accurately and quickly make a diagnosis. Very rarely, there are complications after a biopsy. If the procedure is performed by a specialist, then everything goes smoothly and without consequences, but the development of the following undesirable phenomena should not be ruled out.
There may be bleeding from the area of material intake. After the procedure, the wound is always treated with hemostatic solutions and a bandage is applied if necessary. It is important to avoid bleeding with bronchoscopy of the lungs, otherwise it can lead to serious consequences.
It is clear that a biopsy leads to organ damage. But tissue rupture and the formation of hematomas occurs when the procedure is performed by an unqualified specialist. In these cases, it is important to prevent infection.
There may be infection of the test site. This happens if the rules of asepsis and antiseptics are not followed.
Septic shock can provoke an active spread of bacterial infection.
To avoid all complications, no matter what type of biopsy is used, you can use modern equipment and always follow the rules of sanitation. So it turns out to prevent infection in the wound and the appearance of complications.
So, we examined in detail the types of biopsies. Pathanatomy is a science that studies pathological processes in tissues. So a biopsy is one of her methods, but I must say that the most informative and accurate. The most important thing is that patients consult a doctor on time, then you can not only make the correct diagnosis, but also not be late with treatment.
Take care of yourself and take responsibility for your health.