It is a simple procedure, through a blood sample it is possible to identify cancerous tumor cells or DNA from tumor cells that are circulating in the blood.
The technique is not yet definitive in the early detection of cancer, so it does not replace other early diagnosis methods but rather is complementary to them. Challenges include diagnosing cancer at an early stage and planning treatment based on tumor type, determining its efficacy, and detecting relapse.
Through this liquid biopsy it is possible to diagnose: early stage kidney cancer and brain cancer. And also in order to identify patterns of chemical markers, called methyl groups, in the DNA of blood or other body fluids.
One of the advantages of the liquid biopsy is being able to obtain the results in a few days (in 9 calendar days) while the tumor biopsy can take more than a month.
The most common types of biopsy are the following:
1) Incision biopsy, in which only a sample of the tissue is removed; 2) Excisional biopsy, in which a mass or questionable area is completely removed.
3) Needle biopsy, in which a sample of tissue or fluid is removed with a needle.
Another important factor is whether there are cancer cells at the margins, or edges, of the biopsy sample. A “positive” or “affected” margin means that there are cancer cells in the margin. This means that cancer cells are likely still in the body. A bone marrow aspiration and biopsy is done to check for a blood disorder or blood cancer, such as leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma.
A normal biopsy result means that no cancer or skin disease was found. An abnormal biopsy result can diagnose a specific skin condition. But sometimes abnormal results aren’t clear, and you may need more tests to find out exactly what condition you have.
After a biopsy, the health care team must complete several steps before the pathologist can make a diagnosis.
