[Diagnostic value of core needle biopsy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the diagnostic value of core needle biopsy (CNB) before neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.


METHODS
One hundred and nineteen breast cancer cases underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy in our hospital during the period from June, 2005 to January, 2007 were analyzed. CNB was carried out before starting chemotherapy. The hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides of CNB taken before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were reviewed independently by two pathologists, and the rate of consistency was verified.


RESULTS
Amongst the 119 cases studied, 110 cases were confirmed to be carcinoma, including 105 cases of invasive carcinoma and 5 cases of ductal carcinoma-in-situ. The rate of consistency was 97.22% (105/108).


CONCLUSIONS
CNB has important value in distinguishing benign from malignant lesions, as well as in confirming the diagnosis of invasive carcinoma before starting neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Zheng
Shan
S
Department of Pathology, Cancer Institute (Hospital), Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100021, China.
Zhang
Bai-lin
BL
Zou
Shuang-mei
SM
Lin
Dong-mei
DM
Xue
Li-yan
LY
Luo
Wei
W
Lu
Ning
N
D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy / Q000379:methods*