ICF has held free cancer camps in almost all the districts of Madhya Pradesh, with some being predominantly tribal. Our outreach was made more effective as most of the camps were held with the support of the government health delivery system. During these camps a sense or should we call it nonsense that we gathered was the thinking amongst many that a biopsy should not be done as it spreads the cancer to the rest of the body. But the reality is that it is never biopsy that spreads cancer but the lack or delay in treatment thereafter that is to blame.
 
In fact, biopsy plays a pivotal role in the treatment of cancer.  Cancer treatment must normally begin only after a diagnosis of cancer is reached and it is biopsy that helps one do so.  
 
Also there are many different types of cancer and the treatment method for the different types also differs, so it is necessary to know the kind of cancer a person has in order to ensure that the appropriate treatment is given. Again it is through a biopsy that such information is made available.
 
 
So, what is a biopsy? When a part or all of the affected tissue is taken out by a minor surgical procedure or when a needle is used to remove a sample of the affected tissue or fluid. This is then sent to a histo-pathologist who may study it under a microscope and/or perform other tests on it to determine whether the tissue is cancerous or not and if it is cancer then what type of cancer it is.
 
So not only does biopsy not spread cancer but biopsy also ensures that the correct treatment starts if it is cancer.