Superficial Mass Needle Biopsy

What you should know

• A superficial mass needle biopsy is a procedure to take a sample of cells or tissue from your body. Your caregiver uses a needle to remove cells or tissue from a mass (lump) under your skin. You may or may not be able to feel the lump. The lump may be located on any part of your body, such as your head, chest, or underarms. You also may feel a lump anywhere you have lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are lumps of tissue located throughout your body that help fight infection caused by germs called bacteria. During a fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy, your caregiver will take cells out of your lump. During a core needle biopsy, your caregiver will take a sample of tissue from your lump.
  
  
• Your caregiver will send the sample of cells or tissue to a lab for testing. The lump may be a tumor (growth) that is benign or malignant. A benign lump means the lump does not contain cancer. A malignant lump contains cancer. A biopsy may show the type of cancer that is in the lump. The results of your needle biopsy may help your caregiver decide the best treatment for you. If your biopsy shows that you have cancer, you might start early treatment. Early treatment may help stop your cancer from spreading to other parts of your body.

Care Agreement

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

Risks

• You may have pain or bruising in the area where you had your biopsy. You may get an infection where the needle entered your body. The needle may damage a nerve in your body, such as your face. You may have very bad bleeding called a hemorrhage. If you have cancer, your biopsy may not show it. The needle may break cancer cells and cause cancer to spread to other tissue or body organs.
  
  
• If you do not have this procedure, your caregiver may not know the cause of your lump. Without the procedure, treatment may be delayed and your condition could get worse. Call your caregiver if you have questions or concerns about your needle biopsy, condition, or care.

Getting Ready

Before your procedure:

• Ask your caregiver if you need to stop using aspirin or any other prescribed or over-the-counter medicine before your procedure or surgery.
  
  
• Your caregiver will ask you about your medical history and give you a physical exam. You may need to have imaging tests, such as an ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or an x-ray. Imaging tests may help guide your caregiver during the biopsy. Your caregiver also may test your blood. Ask your caregiver for more information about tests that you may need. Write down the date, time, and location of each test.

The day of your procedure:

• Write down the correct date, time, and location of your procedure.
  
  
• You or a close family member will be asked to sign a legal document called a consent form. It gives caregivers permission to do the procedure or surgery. It also explains the problems that may happen, and your choices. Make sure all your questions are answered before you sign this form.

Treatment

What will happen:

• Your caregiver will clean the skin around your lump. He will then put a shot of anesthesia medicine into the skin near your lump to numb the area. If your caregiver is doing an FNA biopsy, he will put the needle into your lump and pull fluid from the lump into a syringe. A syringe is a tube attached to the needle that will hold fluid removed from your lump. Your caregiver will move the needle back and forth inside your lump and remove more than one sample of cells.
  
  
• If you have a core needle biopsy, your caregiver will make a small incision (cut) next to your lump. He will put the needle into the incision and remove the tissue sample. During your biopsy, your caregiver may use an imaging test, such as an ultrasound. An imaging test may help your caregiver find the best place to remove cells or tissue from your lump. After your biopsy, your caregiver will send the cells or tissue sample to a lab for testing.

After your procedure:

A small bandage may be placed over the area where the needle was put into your lump. Your caregiver may have you put pressure on this bandage to help decrease swelling. Do not get out of bed until your caregiver says it is okay. When your caregiver sees that you are okay, you may be able to go home.

Contact a caregiver if

• You have a fever (high body temperature).
  
  
• You have pain near your lump.
  
  
• The skin around your lump is red or swollen.
  
  
• You cannot make it to your biopsy on time.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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