Fine-needle aspiration cytology in breast lumps

The authors reviewed retrospectively 368 breast lumps subjected to fine-needle aspiration cytology alone or to open biopsy as well. Of those lumps for which the results of both studies were available, there were 39 true-positive results, 32 true-negative, 1 false-positive and 7 false-negative results when the definitive findings of fine-needle aspiration biopsy were compared with the histologic features. Also, in the 40 patients in whom the aspirate was suggestive of malignancy or the findings were atypical, 22 had malignant disease on open biopsy and 18 had benign disease. These results are consistent with those reported in the literature and point to the importance of a positive or suggestive report and the current unreliability of a negative report.