Why are biopsies done to diagnose lung cancer?

Why are biopsies done to diagnose lung cancer?

Jay M. Lee (Surgical Director, Thoracic Oncology Program, UCLA) gives expert video advice on: How is lung cancer diagnosed?; What are some common non-surgical procedures used to diagnose lung cancer?; Can waiting for a lung cancer diagnosis cause a dangerous delay in treatment? and more...

Biopsies of the lung tumour are done often when there's a dilemma in the diagnosis. If it changes the treatment for you, then we will persue a diagnosis with that lung nogual. For instance, if it appears that radio graphically you have a lung tumour, but you don't have a diagnosis of lung cancer, but it's at an advance stage, then you'll need treatment and we'll then we need to make a diagnosis. Histologically, by getting a biopsy, so we can start your treatment. On the other hand there are scenarios where the lung tumour itself looks very suspicious for lung cancer. Radio graphically it appears to be at an early stage and you're at an acceptable risk for undergoing surgery, then these patients will go straight to surgery where staging made is gonosapy. We sample the lyphmnodes in the center of the chest and then to actually surgically biopsies or reset the lung module. And both routes are acceptable ways of pursuing and working up patients with lung modules and providing treatment, but a biopsy is not always necessary.