Experience with fine-wire localization breast biopsies for nonpalpable breast lesions detected mammographically.
There is evidence to suggest that the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer may be associated with a better prognosis. Technical advances such as mammography can detect nonpalpable breast lesions and changes associated with early carcinoma. With fine-wire localization under mammographic control, the surgeon can reliably remove nonpalpable lesions while sparing normal breast tissue. The authors describe the technique for fine-wire localization and removal of lesions and report their experience over 3 years with 262 women who underwent 269 biopsies for nonpalpable lesions. Four subgroups were identified: screened women who had no indication for mammography other than age, women who were referred for mammography by community physicians, a group referred to the Cancer Control Agency of British Columbia and a group referred to the agency for localization biopsy after mammography performed outside the Vancouver area had suggested a malignant lesion. The yield of cancers from biopsies was 10%, 38%, 43% and 26% respectively. The yield was significantly (p less than 0.05) lower for the screened group. Age over 60 years, previous breast cancer and mammographic technique were identified as possible predictors of a positive biopsy. The authors have found fine-wire localization biopsy a safe and reliable method of removing nonpalpable breast lesions.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis