Breast Biopsy

Biopsy, Breast

Risks

The possible risks from a breast biopsy include:

• An infection at the biopsy site. An infection can be treated with antibiotics.
• Bleeding from the biopsy site.
• Not getting a sample of the abnormal tissue.

Call your doctor immediately if:

• Your pain lasts longer than a week.
• You have redness, a lot of swelling, bleeding, or pus from the biopsy site.
• You have a fever.

Core needle and stereotactic breast biopsies may leave a small round scar; open biopsies leave a small straight line scar. The scar fades over time. A fine-needle biopsy usually does not leave a scar.

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Author:	Bets Davis, MFA	Last Updated: April 29, 2009
Medical Review:	Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine Brent Shoji, MD - General Surgery
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