Breast Biopsy

Before your biopsy, you can take a few steps to help you feel more prepared and comfortable on the day of your procedure. Make a list of questions for your provider so you understand what to expect.

Tell your care team about:

• All medications you take, including blood thinners, aspirin, over-the-counter drugs and supplements
• Any allergies or if you’ve had a past reaction to anesthesia
• Any chance you are pregnant
• All health conditions you have, especially bleeding disorders

If you have general anesthesia during your biopsy, your care team will provide you with specific instructions about eating and drinking before your procedure. You’ll also want to plan to have someone with you at your procedure to drive you home.

The exact steps of your breast biopsy vary depending on the type of procedure you have and if any imaging guidance is used during the process.

In general, here are some of the steps you can expect during a breast biopsy:

• You’ll change into a gown for the procedure.
• Imaging, such as X-rays, ultrasound or MRI imaging, will be taken to help guide the procedure.
• A sterile solution will be used to clean the skin on your breast.
• Your team will give you either local anesthesia or general anesthesia. If you’re awake, you shouldn’t feel pain but may still feel some pressure.
• For a needle biopsy, a needle will be inserted directly into the breast or using a minimal incision. For a surgical biopsy, a small incision will be made.
• Samples of the tissue or the entire lump will be removed.
• Sometimes, special metal markers will be placed where the biopsy was taken.
• Bandages, stitches or adhesive strips will be placed over the biopsy spot as needed.
• The tissue samples will be sent to the lab for testing.

After your biopsy, your doctor will give you details about how to care for yourself at home. If you had a needle biopsy, you’ll usually be able to return to your normal activities the next day. When recovering from a surgical biopsy, it can take a few days or up to a week before you start to feel back to normal.

With all biopsies, it’s normal to have some discomfort around the biopsy site. Your healthcare provider will recommend pain relievers to help with discomfort. You may also wear a supportive bra or place an ice pack on the area for a few minutes to help.

Always contact your doctor if you have signs of an infection, such as:

• Increased redness or swelling
• Pain that gets worse
• Fever and chills