Vacuum-assisted large-core needle biopsy (VLNB) improves the management of patients with breast microcalcifications – Analysis of 1009 cases

AimsTo evaluate the surgical management of patients who underwent VLNB for breast microcalcifications.MethodsThis retrospective study compared the histological results and the surgical procedures in two groups of patients, group 1: large-core needle biopsy n = 1009, and group 2: surgical biopsy n = 270.ResultsAfter VLNB, 54% patients were not operated on after stereotactic large-core needle biopsy, 42% underwent one operation, 4% underwent two operations and 0.2% underwent three operations. No surgery was performed for 95% of benign lesions. Multiples operations were necessary in 12% of patients with malignant lesions of VLNB group compared to 45% in the surgical biopsy group. The rate of underdiagnosis of borderline lesions and ductal carcinomas in situ was 16% by the large-core biopsy technique.ConclusionVLNB constitutes an alternative to surgical biopsy. This procedure avoids surgery for most benign lesions and reduces the number of surgical procedures in malignant lesions.