Does Biopsy Mean Cancer? Topic Guide

A bone marrow biopsy is performed for any of the following reasons: to evaluate bone marrow function or to determine the cause of some infections; diagnose tumors; determine how far a disease, such as lymphoma, has progressed; and to evaluate the effectiveness of chemotherapy or other bone marrow active drugs.

Once a cancerous (malignant) tumor has metastasized (spread throughout the body from the original site), it is much more difficult to treat. Most of the time metastatic cancer cannot be cured. The goal of treatment is to slow growth, reduce symptoms, and prolong the patient’s life with as much quality as possible.

Liver biopsy involves the removal of a small piece of tissue from the liver. Reasons for liver biopsy is to diagnose disease, monitor disease, and monitor the effectiveness of therapy. Risk of liver biopsy include hematoma, bleeding, striking another organ, and tumor tracking. Types of liver biopsy include percutaneous, transjugular, and intraoperative liver biopsy.

A sentinal node biopsy is the surgical removal of one to five lymph nodes closest to a cancerous tumor -- usually breast or skin cancer (melanoma) -- in order to figure out the stage of the cancer, that is, how advanced the cancer is.

A skin biopsy is a test in which a doctor cuts a small sample of a patient's skin to diagnose a wide range of conditions, including bacterial or fungal infections, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other skin problems.