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It’s the uncertainty of incisions, the conjure of blades and their desperations – the notion of a biopsy is met with immediate distrust. It is assumed to be more torture than necessity, with every cut regarded as wicked and every moment thought to be cruel.
This is not, of course, a truth. It is, however, an understandable response.
The terror of cancer (the frantic tangle of frustration and suspicion, worry and fragile hope) leaves all individuals in a heightened state of panic. Every treatment is accepted but still concerns. There is confusion with every attempt. There are questions with every proposed cure. And it is this confusion that leaves many wondering if a biopsy is even needed. It’s considered to be a search through blood and bone: invasive, intrusive and irredeemable.
It is instead, however, necessary.
The notion of the biopsy often frightens individuals. To allay that fear it must therefore be explained in easy terms and easier meanings. It is not the image of knives and their clumsy wanderings you may have created (that is the effect of uncertainty. It must be ignored). It is instead the precise removal of tissue for examination – with cells studied under the magnification of microscopes, searched through for any possible complications.
The typical biopsy requires only a small scalpel, with an almost imperceptible amount of skin removed. It will not hurt. It will not leave ugly scars. It will instead be quick and painless. There are times, however, when stronger methods will be used, such as: the excisional biopsy (which involves removing entire lesions), the fine needle aspirate (which examines fluids within tumors) and the curettage (which scrapes skin from malignant surface areas). The type you may receive is dependent on the stage of the disease and the questions surrounding it.
Oncology is filled to necessary probings. A biopsy is simply one of them. It should not be feared but instead should be recognized as vital.
