Is a biopsy always performed if there’s a suspicion of cancer?

Is a biopsy always performed if there’s a suspicion of cancer?

If your healthcare provider finds a lump or your symptoms and initial round of tests indicate that you may have cancer, they will take a biopsy. During a biopsy, some cells or tissue are removed from your body (gathered in a needle through your skin or during an operation) so they can be looked at under a microscope.

A pathologist (a doctor who examines cells) uses different kinds of high-powered microscopes and dyes, stains or chemicals to make cell details easier to see and to look for changes in the DNA of cells. Certain cell changes or details are linked to certain types of cancers.