In an incisional biopsy, only part of the tumor is removed. This procedure is only done when a tumor is too large to be removed with an excisional biopsy or when a needle biopsy is not possible. For these reasons, few people now have an incisional biopsy. When done, the amount of tissue removed during incisional biopsy is most often enough to give detailed information to help plan treatment.
The procedure is similar to an excisional biopsy, but less tissue is removed. An incisional biopsy is done in an operating room by a surgeon. It is most often done using only a local anesthetic rather than general anesthesia. Most people do not need to stay overnight in the hospital when they have an incisional biopsy.
Since incisional biopsy only removes part of the tumor (rather than all of it, as with excisional biopsy), more surgery will be needed to remove the remaining cancer.
Updated 10/26/09
