RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY AND BIOPTY-CUT NEEDLE-BIOPSY AFTER UNSATISFACTORY INITIAL CYTOLOGY OF DISCRETE BREAST-LESIONS

In a minority of patients with a discrete breast lump the initial cyto logical assessment is either unsatisfactory or at variance with the re sults of other methods of diagnosis. A randomized comparison of repeat cytology and needle-core biopsy provided clinically useful informatio n in 14 of 31 patients receiving repeat cytology and in 26 of 29 rando mized to core biopys. Ninteen patients had carcinoma: ten who received repeat cytology, which indicated malignancy in only three (diagnostic of malignancy in one, suspicious in two), while all nine patients who underwent core biopsy had a correct diagnosis (only suspicious of mal ignancy in one). The sensitivity for the definitive diagnosis of carci noma on repeat cytology and core biopsy was 10 and 89 per cent respect ively. Patients with a discrete breast lump and unclear cytology resul ts require needle-core biopsy. This has more diagnostic value than rep eat cytology.