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The purpose of the biopsy for metastatic breast cancer
The purpose of the biopsy for metastatic breast cancer
To confirm the diagnosis if the biopsy results of the analyzes confirm the presence of recurrent or metastatic breast cancer.
The purpose of the biopsy in this case: to find out other causes of non-tumor nature, refine the diagnosis of recurrence or metastasis of cancer to determine the parameters of cancer (including hormonal status and the status of HER2).
Recurrence or metastasis of breast cancer in some parameters may be different from the primary tumor. For example, if the primary tumor was ERts-positive (ie, reacted to the blood levels of hormones), the metastatic tumor may already be ERts-negative. In identifying the primary tumor HER2 status of the test could not be carried out. But now, when there is a recurrence of a tumor of the study is important because it may influence the choice of treatment.
Most often done with a needle biopsy or by excision of a small area of tissue. This is the least invasive procedure.
If there is a suspicion of metastasis to the lung, a biopsy is performed using a bronchoscope. It is a thin tube that is inserted into the trachea and bronchi. At one end of the tube has a light and lens. At the other end - the eyepiece, in which the doctor can see the bronchial lumen, and under the supervision of a biopsy of a suspicious area of tissue. In addition, the study can be taken and the fluid that may accumulate in the pleural cavity. This cluster can also be a sign of cancer recurrence in the pleural cavity. The liquid is collected through a special procedure - thoracentesis. In the pleural cavity under local anesthesia injected with a thick needle stylet in the lumen. Once the needle is in the pleural cavity, a syringe is pumped liquid, and then she goes to the cytology laboratory for research on cancer cells.
When you do not want to biopsy:
When the X-ray examinations (mammography, X-ray of lungs, bones, etc.) clearly indicate the presence of metastasis or recurrence, and similar results were obtained when other methods of research, with cancer treatment was not much time.
Inability to secure biopsy (eg, lesions of the brain or spinal cord, eye). A biopsy may cause unwanted effects, and its result will not affect the treatment.
You can discuss with your doctor the need for biopsy in your case, its range and type of biopsy. A pathologist - a specialist who studies the biopsy samples are usually obtained by comparing samples of recurrence / metastasis samples of primary breast cancer. If the new tumor is a metastasis, it will be very similar to the primary cancer. However, sometimes the samples are not similar to the samples of the primary cancer. In this case, it can speak for the fact that the patient or a new breast cancer or cancer in an entirely different organ (colon, lung, or ovary).
If you find a recurrence or metastasis of cancer, in order to identify possible metastases, and in other areas of the body the patient survey is carried out: blood tests, X-ray methods, computed tomography, MRI, ultrasound and PET.
