DIAGNOSTIC ROLE OF CYTOLOGY IN SCREEN-DETECTED BREAST-CANCER

Five-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the breast was performed in 491 patients over a 3-year period, Some 365 examinations (74.3 per cen t) were performed by Palpation and the remaining 126 (25.7 per cent) b y stereotaxis. Ninety-Six patients were excluded because of inadequate follow-up. Using a standard method of reporting the results 247 smear s were classified as CZ and C2,but based on clinical and radiological criteria recommended and performed in 122 patients with these lesions. Twenty-two percent of C2 lesions were found to be malignant after his tological examination. Forty-two patients with C3 or C4 cytology were advised to have excision biopsy and 41 had surgery. In all but one cas e the lesion was found to be malignant histologically. Definitive surg ery was performed on 106 patients with C5 cytology and the diagnosis o f malignancy was confirmed histologically in 105 of them, FNAC is a us eful diagnostic tool in breast screening but in view of the number of false-negative results, cytology alone is unreliable and, therefore, f ull triple assessment is recommended.