​Can a biopsy worsen cancerous growth? Expert explains​

"Biopsy is a medical procedure in which a small sample of tissue or cells is taken from a suspicious area in the body for examination under a microscope. It is a crucial diagnostic tool used to determine whether a growth or lump is cancerous or benign. However, a common concern among patients and families is whether a biopsy can worsen a cancerous growth," says Dr. R K Choudhary, Director & Head - Medical Oncology, Haemato Oncology & BMT, Metro Cancer Institute in Noida.

MayoClinic defines biopsy as a procedure to remove a piece of tissue or a sample of cells from your body so that it can be tested in a laboratory. "By obtaining a tissue sample, doctors can accurately identify the type of cancer and its molecular characteristics, allowing them to tailor the treatment plan to the patient's specific condition. Early and accurate diagnosis through biopsy enables timely and accurate interventions and increases the chances of successful treatment outcomes," says Dr. Choudhary.

"Radiologists often perform a biopsy of the tumors located deep inside the body. The biopsies are performed under the guidance of ultrasound or CT Scan, with a special biopsy cutting needle which is introduced within the tumor mass. The Tumor pieces are cut and sent for histo-pathological testing. During this procedure, there is a chance or a risk of depositing the tumor cells along the needle track. This is called track seeding. This can alter the stage of the tumor and spread it outside the existing tumor mass," says Dr. Vimal Someshwar, Head of Interventional Radiology at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Mumbai. "The other problem that can happen is bleeding, especially if the tumor is vascular and this may warrant emergency care. Pain is another symptom following the biopsy and is often controlled with pain management medications. Occasionally, there is a chance of the tumor getting infected following the biopsy. The above-mentioned risks are seen in less than 5% of cases undergoing percutaneous biopsy," Dr. Someshwar adds.

"The short answer is no. Biopsies do not cause cancer to spread or worsen. In fact, biopsies are essential for accurate cancer diagnosis and molecular studies, which are critical for planning and choosing appropriate treatment strategies. During a biopsy, only a small amount of tissue is removed, and this does not impact the tumor or its growth," Dr Chaudhary says. To this question, Dr Khandelwal replies, "This is a very common misconception that patients come to us with. We are asked that if you do a biopsy or if you take a sample out of a cancer it will start growing quickly." "If I talk about breast cancer specifically until and unless you do a needle test how would we know whether a lump is cancerous or non – cancerous," says Dr. Rohan Khandelwal, Lead Consultant & HOD- The Breast Cancer, CK Birla Hospital Gurgaon.

Dr. Khandelwal explains two factors involved in this. "When you do a biopsy some sort of inflammation happens and because of that inflammation for a couple of days there the mass might feel tender and slightly big but that does not mean it is growing quickly," he explains. "The second reason why a lesion can increase is, if one has got the biopsy done and they are sitting on it for many days, weeks and months, obviously cancer is bound to grow then but there are no studies which say that by doing a biopsy of cancer the size starts increasing or it starts spreading quickly," he adds.