Biopsy/tissuesampling

A biopsy is a procedure in which a small sample of tissue is removed from the uterus or another part of the body and examined under a microscope for signs of cancer. A biopsy is the only definitive way to diagnose uterine cancer.

In most cases, a biopsy for uterine cancer is performed during a procedure called a dilation and curettage (D&C), in which the cervix is dilated and a small instrument is inserted into the uterus to remove a sample of tissue. A biopsy may also be performed during a hysteroscopy, which is a procedure that uses a thin, lighted tube inserted through the vagina and cervix to examine the inside of the uterus and collect tissue samples

The tissue samples collected during a biopsy are examined by a pathologist, who will determine whether cancer cells are present and, if so, what type of cancer. The pathologist will also provide information on the stage of the cancer, which refers to how advanced it is and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.