Excisional Biopsy
Also known as: lumpectomy biopsy
A biopsy in which the entire lump or suspicious area is removed for examination.
Definition
An excisional biopsy is a minor surgical procedure in which the whole lump or suspicious area is removed and sent to the pathologist. It is often used for small skin lesions, accessible lymph nodes and small breast lumps where complete removal is straightforward.
Excisional biopsy has two advantages: the pathologist can examine the full tissue architecture, and if the lesion is benign no further surgery is needed. If cancer is found, additional treatment such as a wider resection, lymph-node assessment, radiation or systemic therapy may still be required.
See also
- Biopsy — A small sample of tissue taken from the body and examined under a microscope.
- Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) — A quick test that uses a thin needle to draw cells from a lump for microscopic examination.
- Resection — Surgery to cut out a tumour, often together with a rim of surrounding normal tissue.
- Margin — The rim of normal-looking tissue around a tumour after it is surgically removed.
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Medically reviewed by
Dr. Rehan Abdullah
Dr. Rehan Abdullah is a dual-trained clinical and radiation oncologist with over a decade of experience treating both solid tumours and hematologic malignancies. He serves as Consultant Oncologist at INMOL Hospital and sees patients at Farooq Hospital and Healthnox Medical Center, Lahore. Read full profile →
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