A biopsy abroad is performed by experienced and competent doctors under the supervision of high-tech imaging equipment, which facilitates the accurate removal of tissue or fluid without injury to neighboring structures.
Indications and methods of biopsy abroad
Biopsy is traditionally performed in two ways – endoscopic and aspiration (puncture).
An endoscopic biopsy is performed using the following algorithm:
- A probe with a lighting and optical device at the end is inserted through the natural opening of the body (mouth, anus, vagina in women).
- The image of the internal organ is visualized in an enlarged form on a computer monitor
- When the doctor reaches a potentially pathological area, he passes an additional instrument through the probe and pinches or scrapes off a fragment of tissue.
The biopsy is then sent to the pathology laboratory for a lifetime examination.
Sometimes pathomorphologists study the deleted material. This is relevant in the case of moles, lymph nodes, and testicles in men. Benign or unspecified neoplasms resected during surgical intervention are subject to mandatory pathological anatomical examination. In addition to the endoscopic option of taking the material, a biopsy can be performed during diagnostic laparoscopy.
The second common type of biopsy is aspiration (or puncture). It is performed in case of endoscopic inaccessibility of the diagnosed area, as well as in case of fluid accumulation in the chest, abdominal cavity or pelvis. The presence of atypical cells in this situation indicates a widespread cancer.
Aspiration biopsy is performed using a long sterile thin or thick needle (trepan biopsy). It is relevant for suspected breast, lung, bone marrow and other organ cancers. This procedure often gives the doctor an idea of the presence of carcinomatosis of the peritoneum or pleura.
The result of the biopsy
The main indication for a biopsy is a suspicion of oncological pathology. Diagnostic examination is also performed for already established cancerous tumors during treatment. This helps to track the dynamics and determine the nature of new suspicious foci.
A biopsy is the last stage in the process of diagnosing and differentiating malignancies. Without this procedure, adequate staging and typing of neoplasia is impossible, and therefore, the selection of effective treatment.
Contrary to popular misconceptions, the study does not provoke tumor dissemination (metastasis). It is absolutely safe and easily tolerated by patients. Painful manipulations (for example, breast cancer biopsy) are performed in foreign clinics under high-quality anesthesia.
A biopsy will give your doctor the following information about the disease:
- The nature of the inflammation, ulcer, erosion, or tumor
- A type of atypical cells
- Hormone sensitivity of a cancerous tumor
- the intensity of production by cancer cells of specific oncoproteins (HER2, etc.)
- the aggressiveness of the neoplasm
- Stage of pathology
This data will help the doctor or a medical council determine the optimal therapeutic strategy. Thanks to an effective and informative study, foreign clinics establish a correct diagnosis and develop an effective treatment plan even in the advanced stages of the disease.
