Breast biopsy

What is a breast biopsy?

Once a breast lump or breast abnormality has been detected, your doctor may want to conduct a breast biopsy. This procedure involves taking sample tissue from the suspicious area to determine whether the breast lump is cancerous.

While the thought of having a breast biopsy might be frightening, the results can provide reassuring peace of mind. Remember, the vast majority of breast biopsies do not turn out to be breast cancer. In fact, of the more than 1.6 million breast biopsies performed in the U.S. each year¹, about 80% are benign (non-cancerous).² And a biopsy is currently the only way to achieve an accurate breast cancer diagnosis.

There are various breast biopsy options to consider. The choices range from an open surgical procedure to minimally invasive techniques. Be sure to understand your biopsy options, and talk with your doctor to determine the procedure that is best for you, and the risks and benefits of each procedure.

1 Data provided by Thomsom Reuters In-Patient and Out-Patient Views.
2 Silverstein MJ, et al. “Image-Detected Breast Cancer: State of the Art Diagnosis and Treatment.” Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Vol. 201, No. 4, October 2005; 586-597.