Diagnosing breast carcinoma in young women.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the individual and combined diagnostic accuracy of clinical examination, mammography, and fine needle aspiration biopsy in young women with breast cancer.


METHODS
Analysis based on case notes of patients presenting with breast cancer during 1971-89.


METHODS
A combined breast clinic.


METHODS
Consecutive series of 81 women aged less than 36 with histologically proved breast cancer presenting with a discrete mass over 19 years.


METHODS
Results of clinical examination, xeromammography or conventional mammography, fine needle aspiration biopsy, and examination of tissue removed by surgery.


RESULTS
The clinical diagnosis was correct in 47 women and radiography in 35. Fine needle aspiration biopsy was correct in 47 of the 63 women in whom it was successfully performed. Fine needle aspiration was significantly more accurate than mammography (78% v 45%, p less than 0.01). Ten (16%) patients had negative results on clinical examination, mammography, and fine needle aspiration.


CONCLUSIONS
Mammography alone seems inadequately sensitive to detect breast cancer in young patients. When all investigations give negative results excision biopsy is the only way of obtaining a definitive diagnosis.
Yelland
A
A
Combined Breast Clinic, St George's Hospital, London.
Graham
M D
MD
Trott
P A
PA
Ford
H T
HT
Coombes
R C
RC
Gazet
J C
JC
Polson
N G
NG
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014984:Xeromammography