Is surgical excision warranted after benign, concordant diagnosis of papilloma at percutaneous breast biopsy?

The study objective was to determine the cancer frequency in lesions yielding a benign, concordant diagnosis of papilloma at percutaneous breast biopsy.

Retrospective review was performed of 3,864 lesions that had percutaneous imaging-guided biopsy. In 50 lesions (1.3%), percutaneous biopsy yielded a benign, concordant diagnosis of papilloma. Surgical pathology (n = 25) or minimum 2 years' mammographic follow-up (n = 10) was available for 35 lesions that had biopsy with 11-gauge vacuum-assisted (n = 20) or 14-gauge automated (n = 15) needles. Medical records, imaging studies, and histologic results were reviewed.

Cancer was found in five (14%) of the 35 lesions yielding a benign, concordant diagnosis of papilloma at percutaneous biopsy. Cancer histology was ductal carcinoma in situ in four (80%) and node-negative invasive cancer in one. Four (80%) of five cancers were identified due to interval change at follow-up (median, 22 months; range, 7-25 months). In six (17%) of 35 lesions, surgery revealed high-risk lesions including atypical ductal hyperplasia (n = 3), radial scar (n = 2), and lobular carcinoma in situ (n = 1). There was a significantly (p = 0.02) higher frequency of cancer or high-risk lesion in women with multiple versus solitary papillomas and a trend (p = 0.09) toward a higher cancer rate in women with versus without a family history of breast cancer. Breast cancer history, menopausal status, mammographic pattern, biopsy method, and removal of imaging target had no significant impact on cancer rate.

In our study of percutaneously diagnosed papillomas, surgery revealed cancer in 14% and high-risk lesions in 17%. Lesions yielding a benign, concordant diagnosis of papilloma at percutaneous biopsy may warrant surgical excision.