title: Breast cancer: determining the genetic profile from ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsy specimens obtained during the diagnostic workups.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the possibility of determining the genetic profile of primary malignant tumors of the breast from specimens obtained by ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsies during the diagnostic imaging workup.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study in 13 consecutive patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer by B-mode ultrasound-guided 12 G core needle biopsy. After clinical indication, the pathologist decided whether the paraffin block specimens seemed suitable (on the basis of tumor size, validity of the sample, and percentage of tumor cells) before sending them for genetic analysis with the MammaPrint® platform.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The size of the tumors on ultrasound ranged from 0.6cm to 5cm. In 11 patients the preserved specimen was considered valid and suitable for use in determining the genetic profile. In 1 patient (with a 1cm tumor) the pathologist decided that it was necessary to repeat the core biopsy to obtain additional samples. In 1 patient (with a 5cm tumor) the specimen was not considered valid by the genetic laboratory. The percentage of tumor cells in the samples ranged from 60% to 70%. In 11/13 cases (84.62%) it was possible to do the genetic analysis on the previously diagnosed samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In most cases, regardless of tumor size, it is possible to obtain the genetic profile from tissue specimens obtained with ultrasound-guided 12 G core biopsy preserved in paraffin blocks.
authors.affiliation: Diagnóstico e Intervencionismo de Mama, Grupo Preteimagen, Bilbao, España. Electronic address: jalopez@preteimagen.com.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: López Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Jefe del Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital de Galdakao-Usansolo, Usansolo, Bizkaia, España.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zabalza Estévez
authors.affiliation: Ginecología Oncológica, Hospital Universitario de Cruces-Barakaldo, Bizkaia, España.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mieza Arana
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D061705:Image-Guided Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Biopsia de mama; Breast biopsy; Breast cancer; Cáncer de mama; Determinación del genotipo; Genotype determination; MammaPrint®