Inserting biopsy needles through the skin appears to be a safe and reliable alternative to surgery for obtaining diagnostic samples of a suspected solid tumor in children, according to results of a study by investigators at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The technique, called percutaneous (“through the skin”) core-needle biopsy, provides samples of tissue suitable for accurate initial diagnosis of a solid tumor, the researchers say. In addition, the findings contradict the belief of many pediatric surgeons that this technique is more likely than surgery to dislodge cells from the tumor and cause the cancer to spread. A report on the findings of this study appears in the August 1 issue of Cancer. The St. Jude findings are based on a retrospective (“look back”) study of the medical records.
