Breast biopsy

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X

Breast Lump Removal: Illustrated Series	Female breast	Female breast biopsy	Needle biopsy of the breast
Open biopsy of the breast

Biopsy - breast

• There is a slight chance of infection at the injection or incision site.
• Excessive bleeding is rare, but may require draining or re-bandaging. Bruising is common.
• There will be a scar. Depending on the amount of tissue removed and how the breast heals, the appearance of the breast may be affected.
• Depending on the results of the biopsy, further surgery or treatment may be needed.

Most breast lumps are detected during a manual breast exam or mammography. A discharge from the nipple may indicate the presence of a cancerous tumor. Even if the biopsy results are benign, discuss ongoing breast screening with your doctor.

Review Date: 10/31/2005
Reviewed By: Jeremy Goverman, M.D., Department of Trauma and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.