Radiologists cannot tell if it's cancer with 100 percent certainty.
However the radiologists can see if it may be cancer and then another test or other tests such as a biopsy may be needed to diagnose the cancer.
Ultrasound images are not as detailed as those from CT or MRI scans. Ultrasound cannot tell whether a tumor is cancer.
It's use is also limited in some parts of the body because the sound waves can't go through air (such as in the lungs) or through bone.
A biopsy can determine the stage of cancer and can tell what type of cancer cells are inside the tumor.
And in rare cases you may get a false positive and have non accurate results from a biopsy because biopsy tests are not always 100 percent accurate.
Biopsies can cause cancer to spread although it's rare for the biopsy when done right to cause cancer to spread but it can.
A biopsy does not always mean cancer.
When a biopsy is done it is used to determine if the tumor is cancer and in some cases it can be cancer but having a biopsy ordered or done does not mean you have cancer but you should be prepared for it to be cancer just in case.
Biopsy results do tend to take a bit longer if malignant as the doctor may want to perform some additional tests.
These additional tests may take another 24 to 96 hours to complete.
When a biopsy report is positive it means that there is cancer cells in the margin and it is likely that cancerous cells are still in the body.
Urgent biopsy results usually come back within 1 to 2 days.
Non urgent biopsy results can take as long as 3 days to 7 days to come back.
A doctor should call with negative biopsy results.
You should either get a call or a letter in the mail with your biopsy results even if the biopsy results are negative.
If it's been a week since your biopsy you should call the doctor and find out about the biopsy results.
A high tumor marker number is between 10 ng/m to 20 ng/m
High tumor marker levels can be a sign of cancer. Along with other tests, tumor marker tests can help doctors diagnose specific types of cancer and plan treatment.
Tumor marker tests are most commonly used to Learn if a person has cancer.
When your tumor markers are high it can be a sign of cancer or even benign tumors.
Tumor marker levels may be higher when there is cancer in the body.
They are not very “specific,” meaning non-cancer health issues can also cause these levels to be higher.
They must be used along with radiology tests and exams by your doctor.
Oncologists do sometimes lie to patients about prognosis.
Oncologists often do not give honest prognostic and treatment-effect information to patients with advanced disease, trying not to “take away hope.”
You do see an oncologist for benign tumors as oncologists are the doctors that can tell if a tumor is cancerous or benign.
The kind of surgeon that removes tumors is a surgical oncologists.
Surgical oncologists treat cancer using surgery, including removing the tumor and nearby tissue during a operation.
This type of surgeon can also perform certain types of biopsies to help diagnose cancer.
You can sometimes tell if a tumor is benign without a biopsy by way of an MRI.
However to tell for sure if a tumor is benign or not a biopsy is needed.
Tumors can be classified as benign or malignant.
Benign tumors are those that stay in their primary location without invading other sites of the body.
They do not spread to local structures or to distant parts of the body.
Benign tumors tend to grow slowly and have distinct borders.
The recovery time for a biopsy is around 10 days.
For 3 days after your biopsy, do not:
Lift anything heavier than 5 pounds (2.3 kilograms).
Do any strenuous exercises, such as running or jogging.
Bathe, swim, or soak the biopsy site under water. You may shower 24 hours after your biopsy.
After a biopsy the affected area may be sore or uncomfortable for a few days, but your doctor can give you pain medicine if you need it.
Take it easy the day after your biopsy, and follow your doctor's instructions on how long to wear a bandage or take care of the site in some other way.
A biopsy is a sample of tissue taken from the body in order to examine it more closely.
A doctor should recommend a biopsy when an initial test suggests an area of tissue in the body isn't normal.
Doctors may call an area of abnormal tissue a lesion, a tumor, or a mass.
A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by a surgeon, interventional radiologist, or an interventional cardiologist.
The process involves extraction of sample cells or tissues for examination to determine the presence or extent of a disease.
A small amount of anesthetic numbs the skin, allowing the procedure to be almost painless.
At most a biopsy feels like a slight pinch as the anesthetic is being injected.
You shouldn't feel any sensation as the tissue is removed.
Biopsies are typically associated with cancer, but just because your doctor orders a biopsy, it doesn't mean that you have cancer.
Doctors use biopsies to test whether abnormalities in your body are caused by cancer or by other conditions.
A result can often be given within 2 to 3 days after the biopsy.
A result that requires a more complicated analysis can take 7 to 10 days.
Ask your doctor how you will receive the biopsy results and who will explain them to you.
Needle biopsy carries a small risk of bleeding and infection at the site where the needle was inserted.
Some mild pain can be expected after needle biopsy, though it is usually controlled with over-the-counter pain relievers.