Carole Mark |
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Carole Mark |
Audio |
Biopsies - No Discomfort
Results Back in hours
Women say when they find a lump in their breast -- their world stops. Imagine then going through a painful biopsy and then waiting for weeks to find out if it's cancerous. The fear and anxiety of preparing for a breast biopsy may never go away, but researchers have made the procedure quicker and less painful.
In standard breast biopsies, surgeons puncture a woman's breast six to eight times with a needle to remove tissue. Now, those days may be over.
George Stanley, M.D., Radiologist, Winter Park Women's Center/Columbia Health Care, Winter Park, FL: "Here we have a 20 minute procedure that can save a lot of time, and a lot of anguish, and a lot of pain to the patient."
Now, a needle goes in the breast once, and the lump is vacuumed out. The whole process takes less than 20 minutes.
Donna Rickelman, Breast Cancer Survivor: "I had the procedure at eleven, had lunch at twelve and went to a meeting at two."
Donna has had both types of biopsies. She says she likes the new approach better.
Donna Rickelman "It was not bad at all because you are with a nurse and the doctor the majority of the time. They talk you through it, they are very aware of your concerns. I just felt like I had more control over what was going on. I can't say that there was any discomfort."
Doctors recently found a lump in Joyce Davis' breast. She chose the new procedure.
Joyce Davis, Underwent new procedure: "I was reluctant to have the surgical kind, which is much more invasive and more expensive."
Studies show the new method is more accurate. Results are quicker too - back in hours instead of weeks.
The procedure is performed at several hospitals across the country including Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, the Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis, Baylor-Komen Alliance Breast Center in Dallas and Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.