Needle localization and surgical management of occult breast lesions

Screening mammography can locate small breast cancer lesions not detectable on physical examination. In this study, the records of 57 patients undergoing radiographically guided preoperative needle localization were reviewed for the period August 1986 to May 1988. Of the 57 cases, 15.8% were positive for cancer and 84.2% were benign breast lesions. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the pathologic diagnosis in all malignant biopsies, except for one case of carcinoma in situ. All positive lesions had shown as microcalcifications on mammogram. The authors examine the criteria for biopsy and discuss their experience with needle localization of occult breast lesion suspicious of breast cancer.