Management of non-palpable breast lesions detected mammographically

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Abstract
A total of 212 consecutive fine‐wire localization breast biopsies in 202 patients were performed on impalpable mammographically suspicious lesions. Preoperative fineneedle aspiration cytology was performed on 159 lesions and was valuable in planning the extent of the fine‐wire localization biopsy. All 212 target lesions were accurately biopsied during the initial surgery. Overall, 134 lesions were malignant and 78 benign (benign:malignant ratio 1:1·72), with fewer biopsies for benign lesions performed in screened patients (benign:malignant ratio 1:2·43) than in those with symptoms (ratio 1:1). Breast conservation was achieved in 72 patients (80 per cent) with screen‐detected in situ or invasive carcinoma and in 19 of 37 presenting via a symptomatic clinic. In 160 of 202 patients (79 per cent) the initial fine‐wire localization biopsy was diagnostic and therapeutic.