[Cytological examination. Solid breast tumors examined by means of fine-needle puncture]

The value of cytological diagnosis of solid tumours of the breast where the cells were obtained by suction aspiration through a needle has been analysed in a consecutive series of 2,401 cases, all of which were checked by histological examination. They consisted of 1,745 malignant tumours and 656 benign tumours. The cytological diagnosis of malignancy was confirmed, almost always, error being practically non-existent (4 out of 1,000). This confirms that this simple and rapid test is very valuable in the diagnosis of mammary cancer. On the other hand, when the diagnosis of a benign tumour was made a certain number of cancers were missed (3.6 per cent). This is not therefore as valuable a test when the result is negative as when the result is positive. All the same, in certain cases it can suggest the diagnosis without giving the precise type of lesion, which can only be finally diagnosed histologically.