If fine-needle aspiration doesn’t draw
out any fluid, the lump may still be a
harmless, solid fibrous growth. The needle
can retrieve cells from the lump for
further examination under the microscope.
Sometimes, this is enough to
reach a clear diagnosis.
If the answer is still unclear, further investigation
will be needed. Your doctor
can use a larger needle to draw out some
tissue from the lump. This is then examined
under the microscope to see if there
are any cancer cells. This procedure is
called a “core biopsy.” Your doctor may
be able to locate the lump by feel; if not,
a mammographic or ultrasound “picture”
of the lump is used as a guide to make
sure the needle goes to the right place.
If cancer is still suspected, a “surgical
biopsy” is done, in which the whole lump
is removed for examination under the
microscope. To make sure of getting it
all, some of the surrounding normal tissue
is also taken.
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