In my case, the biopsy hurt like hell. Agony. They stuck this thing in there and slice and dice.
If it's a reasonable option, I'd go for low dose radiation.
It's new, it works, and it beats the alternatives.
5 days a week, you go to the lab, and they make you glow in the dark. You feel like crap. Maine has a Pot RX program, and that helped me a lot.
One last thing about treatment. They shot me full of girly hormones. This also sucked. I was supposed to be on them for 2 years. But after one year of that, I said no more. Worked out fine for me, YMMV.
This is scary as hell, and about as much fun as taking on an biker bar by yourself. But you can get through it.