Biopsies

/baɪˈɑpsiz/ noun

Definition

Plural of biopsy; multiple examinations of living tissue samples taken from organisms to diagnose disease or study biological characteristics.

Etymology

Plural of 'biopsy,' from 'bio-' (life) + 'opsis' (Greek, viewing/sight). Multiple tissue samples allow doctors to understand the extent and nature of a disease.

Kelly Says

When doctors perform multiple biopsies on a tumor, they're essentially taking a census of the cancer cells—different spots might have different mutations, which is why one small biopsy might miss the real problem.

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