Impact of core biopsy on the surgical management of impalpable breast cancer

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare impalpable breast carcinomas revealed by core biopsy with those revealed by surgical biopsy with respect to the fre quency of performing a single surgical procedure and finding tumor at the margins of the lumpectomy specimen. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Retrospective review found 197 solitary impalpable breast carcinomas revealed by core biopsy using a 14-gauge needle (n = 90) or surgical biopsy after needle localization (n = 107). Lumpectomy was the surgical treatment in 62 (69%) of the 90 cancers revealed by core biopsy and in 74 (69%) of the 107 cancers revealed by surgical biopsy. Records were reviewed to determine the number and type of surgeries performed on each patient and the histopathologic findings at surgery. Lumpectomy margins were considered positive if tumor was present at the inked margins of a lumpectomy performed as a separate procedure after the diagnostic biopsy. RESULTS. A single surgical procedure was performed in 76 (84%) of the 90 patients who underwent core biopsy versus 31 (29%) of the 107 patients who underwent surgical biopsy. This difference was statistically significant (p < .00001). Tumor was present at the lumpectomy margins in five (8%) of the 62 cancers revealed by core biopsy versus four (5%) of the 74 cancers diagnosed by surgical biopsy. This difference was not statistically significant (p = .7). CONCLUSION. A single surgical procedure was performed significantly more often in patients in whom impalpable breast cancer was revealed by core biopsy, The likelihood of obtaining tumor-free margins at lumpectomy did not differ significantly for cancers revealed by either method. These data indicate that core biopsy provides the information necessary to plan surgical treatment and could decrease the number of surgical procedures required in patients with impalpable breast cancer.