Final answer:
A biopsy is the surgical removal of a tissue sample for microscopic examination, often used to diagnose conditions like cancer. It provides critical information by allowing pathologists to assess the type and extent of the disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The diagnostic test in which tissues or cells are removed from the body for examination under a microscope is known as a biopsy. This procedure is routinely used, usually to diagnose cancer, by surgically removing a tissue specimen for analysis in a medical laboratory. A pathologist then examines the tissue sample microscopically to determine the presence or type of disease, including cancer. Cancers are often named after the type of tissue from where they originate with carcinomas being among the most common, involving epithelial cells.
Biopsy is critical in cases where certain cancers are suspected, such as testicular cancer and prostate cancer. For instance, to detect various subtypes of lymphoma, physicians use a biopsy to observe physical changes in cells under a microscope and may employ immunohistochemistry techniques to identify specific antigens in the tissue sample.