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Q. My mother has had colon and breast cancer. She now faces a nodule in her lower right lung. Doctors say it is definitely cancer, but are not sure what type (lung cancer or metastasis of the colon or breast). Is a lung biopsy the only way to find out what kind of cancer it is?
Before treatment starts, it is extremely important that the doctor know exactly what kind of cancer is to be treated, as treatment varies with different kinds of cancer. The only way that the kind of cancer can be accurately identified is to have a section of tissue removed from the tumor or nodule so that it may be examined under a microscope by a pathologist, who can identify the cancer cell type and advise the patient’s doctor.
You and your mother may find the following articles from the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s website can provide you with some helpful insights on biopsies and their results:
Answered by
Winfield Boerckel, MSW, MBA, LCSW-R