Lung biopsy through the skin
What is a lung biopsy?
A biopsy is when doctors remove a small piece of tissue or a sample of cells from an area of the body. This is then checked under a microscope for cancer cells.
You usually have a biopsy to find out for certain if you have lung cancer.
There are different ways of doing a biopsy. Your cancer doctor or nurse will talk to you about the type of biopsy you will have.
You usually have a lung biopsy through the skin during a CT scan. This helps the doctor find the exact area to take the biopsy from. It is sometimes called a percutaneous biopsy. Percutaneous means through the skin.
What happens during a lung biopsy through the skin?
What happens after a lung biopsy?
After the biopsy, you stay in hospital for a few hours to make sure there are no problems. You may also have a chest x-ray, because there is a small risk of air getting into the space between the pleura. If this happens, it can make the lung collapse. This is called a pneumothorax. Tell your doctor or nurse if you:
- have any tightness or pain in your chest
- become more breathless.
If you get a pneumothorax, it is usually minor and gets better by itself. If it does not get better, your doctor can treat it with a simple procedure.
Support for a lung biopsy
It is normal to feel anxious before having a test. You might be worried about having the test and what the test result might mean. Talking to family and friends about how you feel may help. You can also:
- Call the Macmillan Support Line for free on 0808 808 00 00.
- Chat to our specialists online.
- Visit our lung cancer forum to talk to people who have been affected by lung cancer, share your experience, and ask an expert your questions.
Related pages
About our information
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer.
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References
Below is a sample of the sources used in our lung cancer information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at informationproductionteam@macmillan.org.uk
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Lung cancer – Diagnosis and management. Clinical guideline 2019. Last updated 2023. (accessed Nov 2023) Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng122
European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). Small-cell lung cancer: ESMO clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. 2021. (accessed Nov 2023). Available at: https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/guidelines-by-topic/esmo-clinical-practice-guidelines-lung-and-chest-tumours/small-cell-lung-cancer
European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). Early and locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): ESMO clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. 2017. eUpdate 01 September 2021: New Locally Advanced NSCLC Treatment Recommendations (accessed Nov 2023) Available at: https://www.esmo.org/guidelines/esmo-clinical-practice-guideline-early-stage-and-locally-advanced-non-small-cell-lung-cancer
European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). ESMO expert consensus statements on the management of EGFR mutant non-small-cell lung cancer. 2022 (accessed Nov 2023). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35176458/
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