The skin is nicked with a scalpel so the needle can enter. This type of needle biopsy is done in a medical office or hospital. An open biopsy uses surgical cutting to take out breast tissue. It is done in a hospital or ambulatory care center operating room. The procedure causes little bleeding, pain, or scarring.
Most women are able to go home the same day.
Only a portion of the lump is removed. It is most often done on women with advanced stage cancer whose tumors are too large to be removed through excisional biopsy. The entire lump plus some surrounding normal tissue is removed. This is the most common type of open biopsy and the most accurate way to diagnose breast cancer. It is sometimes called a lumpectomy or partial mastectomy.