Biopsy instrument with breakable sample segments

A surgical biopsy instrument for the extraction of at least one tissue sample from a body is disclosed having a piercing needle for penetrating the body. The piercing needle has a distal piercing tip and an open proximal end and a passageway extending therebetween. The piercing needle has at least one tissue receiving port adjacent to the piercing tip, and the tissue receiving port communicates with the passageway for the reception of a tissue sample therein. A cutting member is removably disposed within the passageway of the piercing needle and the cutting member has a proximal end and a distal sampling segment. The distal sampling segment has a distal cutting edge and a bore extending therein. The distal sampling segment is moveable across the tissue receiving port of the piercing needle for the cutting of a tissue sample and the tissue sample is received within the bore of the distal sampling segment. The distal sampling segment is breakable from the elongated cutting member.