Mammographic localization and biopsy of nonpalpable breast lesions. A 5-year study
W. R. Thompson, J. R. Bowen, B. A. Dorman, V. E. Pricolo, T. K. Shahinian and C. H. Soderberg Jr
Department of Surgery, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University Program in Medicine, Providence 02902.
A malignancy rate of 24% was achieved as a result of needle localizations
and biopsies of 548 nonpalpable mammographically detected breast lesions in
507 consecutive patients during a 5-year period. Malignancy was present in
74 (23.8%) of 311 irregular soft-tissue densities, in 40 (19.6%) of 204
cases with clustered microcalcifications, and in 33 cases (54.5%) when both
features were present. Same-day admission and discharge were achieved in
491 patients and local anesthesia supplemented with intravenous sedation
was used in 73 (74%) of the 98 patients (in 1989) by the end of the study
period. Nonpalpable cancers were categorized pathologically as stage 0 in
25 patients (20.8%), stage I in 67 patients (55.8%), stage IIA in 24
patients (20.0%), and stage IIB in four patients (3.3%). The malignancy
rate rose sharply from the fourth to the fifth decade.
