This is in reply to the 69 year old who fears the cancer will spread. I'm 48 and have had 5 biopsy's since 96. The procedure for me was mostly inoffice and done in 15 minutes. You are numb all the way to the bone and a needle in inserted in your bone which can't be numbed but it feels no worse than a dental visit to me when you need a little more novacain. It's ok. I have went through it with out any nerve meds or anethesia completely awake. I'd prefer it that way then I can drive home and I feel no different when I get home. I have it done in the back of my pelvic bone and its covered with a bandaid. It's over before you know it and my cancer is still in the bone cells. But I've had no treatment for 10 years and the most treatment I've had is thalidimide for 3 months lately . My hemoglobin is 1400 . People have no idea I have cancer because they can't tell by the way I act. I'm tired and have a lot of edema in my legs but I take lasix and potassium for now. I'm beginning Revlilmid in a week or so. My platelets are 40,000 so I take decadron sometimes and Zometa infusions. The neulasta shot doesn't last more than 3 weeks so we are stopping that now. It gave be a lot of bone pain and headaches . THe zometa doesn't seem to do any painfull thing. THe talidimide made by shaky like parkenson. I still shake when I hold a glass 4 months since I stopped. I couldn't tolerate the thalidimide. My legs swole up to my pelvic and wouldn't go down. THe doctor said I heard a bad reaction to it. Don't fear the test. It needs to be done to see how you are progressing. Don't fear.