FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION AND MAMMARY SECRETION, CYTOLOGY AND CORE BIOPSY

Cytology of breast secretions, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNA) o f the breast and core biopsy of the breast have been used for a long t ime. However; the application of the different approaches and their be nefit for patients is still discussed. While FNA has challenged surgic al biopsy since many years, additionally, core biopsy gets more import ant due to simplification of handling and dea easing tissue trauma. In conjunction with imaging techniques the number of necessary surgical biopsies has dramatically decreased in many places. Characteristics of the two approaches are tabulated in this contribution, which focusses on symptomatic patients presenting with either lumps of the br east o r mammary secretions. Cytologic examination of breast secretions allow s early diagnosis of intraductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma in about 1% of all breast secretions. Careful localisation of the lesions is necessary. Most cases of breast cancer do not cause secretions, so, breast secretion cytology will contribute only in a mi nority of cases. In cases showing both, breast secretion and lumps, th ese should be considered as possibly caused by different lesions.