Primary or secondary?

[MissyD1]

Does anyone know if a biopsy can distinguish between a lung tumour being a primary tumour or a secondary from another lung tumour?

Thanks in advance x

[Bow-19]

I would say that it can. Only because when I had a tumour behind my eye, they took a biopsy from this I was told that the primary tumour was in my lung and the secondary in my eye. I am not an expert though, just going from my experience.

[MissyD1]

Thank you x

[MH1954]

Hi missy

I can only comment on my own experience as when my pet scan shown lung tumour and a tumour on the adrenal gland I was sent for a biopsy which then confirmed the primary was in the lung and the adrenal was a secondary

So yes in my case the biopsy did confirm this

Margaret

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Hi MissyD1,

Following biopsy there are different vascular changes within the tissue cells which can differentiate between primary and secondary tumours. Also following surgery, the tissue is examined and staged. The stage of a cancer means how big it is and whether it has spread for example stage 4 means that the cancer is in both lungs.

Hope this helps,

All the team at The Roy Castle Helpline