Surgery to diagnose and stage cancer

A biopsy is a procedure done to remove a tissue sample so that it can be looked at under a microscope. Some biopsies may need to be done in surgery, but many types of biopsies involve removing tumor samples through a thin needle or an endoscope (a flexible lighted tube). Biopsies are often done by surgeons, but they can be done by other doctors, too. Some of the more common ways to do a biopsy are reviewed here.