Neck lymph node biopsy

You usually have a biopsy to find out for certain if you have lung cancer. A doctor or nurse takes samples of cells or tissue from the abnormal area. They look at the biopsy samples under a microscope to check for cancer cells.

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. 

This information is about having a biopsy of neck lymph nodes.

Sometimes the doctor takes a sample of cells from the lymph nodes in the neck. They use an ultrasound scan to examine the lymph nodes. The doctor then passes a thin needle into a lymph node and takes a sample of cells.

You can have this test as an outpatient and go home on the same day.

Waiting for test results can be difficult. We have more information about this.