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The term biopsy means a view of life and means from the Greek "bio" meaning life, and "-psy" meaning vision. A biopsy is literally a look at living tissue, and is a test used to diagnose cancer. Any tissue or organ in the body can be biopsied, and there are many techniques that are used. Some of these draw in surgery, whereas others will not even draw in an anesthetic. In each method, a sample of tissue is cut out from the body and studied for cancer markers, cancer cells, or unusual cell division. Each cancer has its own modes of diagnosis, but the different types of biopsies can be classified. Naturally, you should go to a reputed medical clinic to get this done. You can look up an online health directory to get information.

1) Excisional biopsy. This is a surgical removal of the feared tumor growth. In this case, either an organ or lump is excised, or cut out of the body. Excisional biopsies are used for a variety of cancer diagnoses and for different reasons in each. In osteosarcoma they are used because of the growth rate of feared tumors. Surgery will always be the first option of biopsy in bone cancers. In lymphoma, tumors can only be examined as whole pieces so as to get an accurate diagnosis. Breast cancer is another cancer where some surgeons prefer surgery. This will make certain any cancer diagnosis with the most accuracy.

2) Incisional Biopsy. Here only a section of the lump is removed through surgery. This type is generally used for feared soft tissue cancers.

3) Endoscopic Biopsy. This is the most widespread form of biopsy and is performed through a fibreoptic endoscope that is introduced into the organ of disruption. The doctor looking through the endoscope can view directly any abnormal sections and cut or pinch pieces of tissue with forceps. A thoroscopy for endoscopic biopsy under general anesthesia will be used for mesothelioma, a cancer of internal organ lining. The reason for this is there is simply no other modes to obtain a tissue sample. Meshothelioma is also very tough to diagnose through other means, and so excisional biopsy is the best course for an accurate diagnosis.

4) Fine needle aspiration is the most popular form of contemporary cancer biopsy. Here a needle will be introduced into the lump and a large number of cell tissue will be drawn through a syringe. These cells will then be stained and studied by a pathologist. In this case, a diagnosis is reached instantly. This kind of biopsy can even be conducted on inaccessible organs such as the pancreas or lungs with ultrasound guided techniques. This is the preferred choice as avoiding surgery is almost always first on the wish list of the physician.

There are other forms of biopsies, but these categories are the most widespread and cover most of the major cancerous diseases. If a cancer is feared, a patient may undergo more than one of these tests through the course of their treatment, depending on how aggressive the physician feels it is.

Specialist medical clinics are best prepared to deal with this. If you want to learn more, read web articles on the subject. These are easily accessible in a health directory.

Ajeet Khurana is an author, futurist, teacher... If you liked this article, also visit: Mesothelioma, Clinics and Health Directory.