Epithelial displacement during breast needle core biopsy causes diagnostic difficulties in subsequent surgical excision specimens.
BACKGROUND
The use of needle core biopsy (NCB) as part of triple assessment for non-operative evaluation and diagnosis of breast lesions is now routine practice. Trauma to breast tissue during NCB may result in displacement of breast epithelium and may lead to diagnostic difficulty in subsequent excision specimens.


METHODS
The cases of seven mammographically detected breast lesions in which epithelial displacement due to NCB was identified and caused problems in confirmation of tumour size, assessment of surgical margins, and interpretation of possible invasive carcinoma and lymphovascular invasion are reported here.


CONCLUSIONS
Previous observations that epithelial displacement is more likely to occur when the interval between NCB and surgical excision is short are supported.
Phelan
Sine
S
South Dublin Rotation, Department of Histopathology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. sine.phelan@amnch.ie
O'Doherty
Ann
A
Hill
Arnold
A
Quinn
Cecily M
CM
D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding