Ask the Expert: What Does It Mean if I Get an Inconclusive Biopsy Result? (2024)

FAQs

Is an inconclusive biopsy good? ›

Sometimes, the result of a biopsy will be inconclusive, meaning that the test has not produced a definitive result. This can happen for several reasons: There could have been a problem processing the sample, the sample didn't contain enough of the affected tissue or the sample size was not large enough.

An inconclusive result is neither positive nor negative. This result can occur from inadequate sample collection, very early-stage infection, or for patients close to recovery. With an inconclusive result, collecting and testing another sample is recommended.

“About 70% of women who have a breast biopsy will NOT be diagnosed with cancer,” says Marion Scoggins, M.D. “Most breast biopsies turn out to be benign.”

If the results of the biopsy are inconclusive, if it shows malignant cells, or if the doctor feels it is in your best interest, you will need a surgical biopsy, or a lumpectomy, to remove the lump.

When you face a serious diagnosis like cancer or one that requires surgery, it's a good idea to get a medical second opinion on the interpretation of your biopsy. That second opinion can confirm the original diagnosis and treatment plan or, in some cases, change the diagnosis.

They wouldn't start working out "treatment plans" without calling you in first. If they had found something nasty everything would have accelerated. Generally with test results "no news is good news" applies (or at least "no news is neutral news" ).

If a normal or negative test result comes back, the physician can telephone the patient with the “good news,” and patients have the option of canceling the follow-up appointment. Although it is preferable to give bad news face-to-face, there may be times when giving bad news over the phone is unavoidable.

But out of all women called back after an inconclusive mammogram, less than 0.5% will have cancer. "A callback is a pretty generic term we use. It doesn't mean you have cancer. It just means come back, we need some more information," says Dr.

Do most breast biopsies come back benign? ›

Most women who have breast biopsies DO NOT have breast cancer. In fact, about 4 out of 5 breast biopsies are benign (not cancer). 2.

Sometimes, a biopsy reveals that the suspicious area contains only benign, or non-cancerous, cells. This might mean you do not need treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.

Some patients express concerns about whether a breast needle biopsy might cause cancer to spread. But there's no evidence of a negative long-term effect from a breast needle biopsy. And the benefits of a breast needle biopsy — as opposed to a surgical biopsy or no biopsy at all — outweigh the risks.

Once the biopsy is complete, a specially trained doctor called a pathologist examines the tissue or fluid samples under a microscope, looking for abnormal or cancerous cells. The pathology report, which can take one or two weeks to complete, is sent to the patient's doctor.

The core needle biopsy is becoming a universal practice in diagnosing breast lesions suspected of malignancy. Unfortunately, breast core needle biopsies also bear the risk of having false-negative results.

The results, called a pathology report, may be ready as soon as 2 or it may take as long as 10 days. How long it takes to get your biopsy results depends on how many tests are needed on the sample. Based on these tests, the laboratory processing your sample can learn if cancer is present and, if so, what type it is.

Although tests aren't 100% accurate all the time, receiving a wrong answer from a cancer biopsy – called a false positive or a false negative – can be especially distressing. While data are limited, an incorrect biopsy result generally is thought to occur in 1 to 2% of surgical pathology cases.

If your pathologist suspects certain types of cancer, such as lymphoma, he or she might need to perform additional testing to determine the subtype. This process takes an additional 24 to 96 hours, depending on the complexity of the cancer.

A biopsy is sometimes inconclusive, which means it hasn't produced a definitive result. In this case, the biopsy may need to be repeated, or other tests may be required to confirm your diagnosis.

The pathology department also operates several diagnostic facilities, including the Fine Needle Aspiration Clinic and specialized laboratories for image analysis, electron microscopy. Many insurance carriers will reimburse the costs of second opinion consultations. Follow-up reviews are payable separately.

Are doctors offended by second opinions? ›

Most doctors will welcome a second opinion – they may even suggest it themselves. But be sure to stay in touch with your current doctor about how your second opinion process is coming along. In most cases, you're simply looking for additional information and opinions, not necessarily a new doctor.

Rest as much as you can in the next day or two. Limit using the body part, if this is possible. For example, if you had a biopsy performed on your arm or leg, try to rest and raise the limb for the next day or so. Avoid vigorous exercise and lifting heavy objects.

Most biopsy sites heal within 2 to 3 weeks.

Processing time

Often, there are technical reasons for delays in reporting results. For instance, certain types of body tissues take longer to process than others. Bone and other hard tissues that contain a lot of calcium need special handling.

A non-diagnostic result was defined when no malignant cells were seen and a specific benign diagnosis could not be made. The demographic data of patients, lesions' characteristics, technique, complications, initial pathological results, and final diagnosis were reviewed.

The removal of tissue or cells for analysis is called a biopsy. While a biopsy may sound scary, it's important to remember that most are entirely pain-free and low-risk procedures. Depending on your situation, a piece of skin, tissue, organ, or suspected tumor will be surgically removed and sent to a lab for testing.

It could be the doctor had the wrong phone number, or the wrong address. To this day, we tell patients the responsibility is on us to communicate with them." But the backup for patients should always be to call their doctors if they aren't notified of the results of tests, Dunham says.

As the test is being ordered, ask the patient how they prefer to hear the results — in person, phone or email. My suggestion is that, if this is a new condition to the patient or the patient is new to you, deliver the results in person. After that, phone or email is fine, as long as the patient prefers this.

The mammogram was inconclusive, meaning the radiologist could not give an impression based on the data. Another mammogram or other testing may be necessary. The results are normal, negative, or benign. The mammogram revealed benign, or non-cancerous abnormalities such as calcifications or fibroadenomas.

Will a radiologist tell you if something is wrong? ›

“They aren't doctors, and while they do know how to get around your anatomy, they aren't qualified to diagnose you.” That is true even though the tech likely knows the answer to your question. Imaging techs administer thousands of scans a year.

Abnormal mammogram results occur when breast imaging detects an irregular area of the breast that has the potential to be malignant. This could come in the form of small white spots called calcifications, lumps or tumors called masses, and other suspicious areas.

Fine-needle, core-needle, and surgical biopsies are the three types of biopsies. Thankfully, when looking into what percentage of breast biopsies are cancer? The answer is low—only 20%.

Most types of benign breast disease don't require treatment. Your healthcare provider may recommend treatment if you have atypical hyperplasia or a different kind of benign breast disease that increases your future risk of breast cancer.

For a few days after the surgery, you will probably feel tired and have some pain. The skin around the cut (incision) may feel firm, swollen, and tender. The area may be bruised. Tenderness should go away in about a week, and the bruising will fade within two weeks.

The most common types include: (1) incisional biopsy, in which only a sample of tissue is removed; (2) excisional biopsy, in which an entire lump or suspicious area is removed; and (3) needle biopsy, in which a sample of tissue or fluid is removed with a needle.

Group. P5 - Tissue Pathology. Examination of complexity level 3 biopsy material with 1 or more tissue blocks, including specimen dissection, all tissue processing, staining, light microscopy and professional opinion or opinions - 2 to 4 separately identified specimens.

Biopsies are highly accurate. Pathologists use specialized microscopes to look at the cells in your sample. If you are not completely comfortable with the results, you can always get a second opinion.

If a tissue sample is needed to make a final determination, a breast biopsy may be called for. But even then, it does not mean you have cancer.

Pathologists generally agreed, at a rate of 96 percent, when it came to samples of invasive breast cancer.

Should I get a second opinion before breast biopsy? ›

Getting a second opinion

You may want to get a second opinion before your biopsy, or after, when you have the results. Most health plans allow you to get a second opinion if the second doctor is in your health plan's network. Learn more about getting a second opinion.

Your Pathology Report

The tissue samples removed during your breast biopsy will be sent to a pathologist. A pathologist is a doctor who studies the tissue under a microscope and presents the findings, including a diagnosis, in a pathology report.

During a biopsy, tissue samples are taken from the abnormality and surrounding tissue. The pathologist will study these samples for cancer cells to determine if your cancer is invasive or non-invasive.

Typically, a tiny tissue marker (also called a clip) is put into the area where the biopsy is done. This marker will show up on mammograms or other imaging tests so the exact area can be located for further treatment (if needed) or follow up.

When you face a serious diagnosis like cancer or one that requires surgery, it's a good idea to get a medical second opinion on the interpretation of your biopsy. That second opinion can confirm the original diagnosis and treatment plan or, in some cases, change the diagnosis.

Depending upon where you live, your GP may have access to your biopsy results. It might be worth phoning the surgery to see if the results are available, and if so, ask if you can have a phone chat with your GP.

On occasion, a report may deem a biopsy "inconclusive." This means that the sample of tissue did not reveal a diagnosis. If that is the case, there are still several options. If the likelihood is low that the abnormality in your chest is cancer, you may opt to wait and do a repeat scan in a few months.

Size and shape of the cells

The overall size and shape of cancer cells are often abnormal. They may be either smaller or larger than normal cells. Normal cells often have certain shapes that help them do their jobs. Cancer cells usually do not function in a useful way and their shapes are often distorted.

These symptoms usually get better in a few days. If you cough up mucus, there may be streaks of blood in the mucus for the first week after the procedure. You may need to take it easy at home for a day or two after the procedure. For 1 week, try to avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activities.

Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer in the United States and usually begins along the outer sections of the lungs. It is also the most common type of lung cancer in people who have never smoked. Large cell carcinomas are a group of cancers with large, abnormal-looking cells.

Will doctors give biopsy results over phone? ›

If a normal or negative test result comes back, the physician can telephone the patient with the “good news,” and patients have the option of canceling the follow-up appointment. Although it is preferable to give bad news face-to-face, there may be times when giving bad news over the phone is unavoidable.

Sometimes a biopsy sample might not be big enough to evaluate. Other times, the pathologist can see that the sample was not taken from the correct area. In these cases, the pathologist will ask your doctor to repeat the biopsy, so the pathologist can make a conclusive and accurate diagnosis.

Breast Biopsy. If breast symptoms or the results of an imaging test (such as a mammogram) suggest you might have breast cancer, you may need a breast biopsy. During a biopsy, a doctor removes small pieces of breast tissue from the suspicious area so they can be looked at in the lab to see if they contain cancer cells.

Although tests aren't 100% accurate all the time, receiving a wrong answer from a cancer biopsy – called a false positive or a false negative – can be especially distressing. While data are limited, an incorrect biopsy result generally is thought to occur in 1 to 2% of surgical pathology cases.