Summary

Recent studies from specialist breast centres have suggested that fine needle aspiration cytology in conjunction with mammography and clinical examination can provide a prompt and accurate diagnosis of breast lumps. These three methods of diagnosis have been assessed in the context of a district general hospital by analysing 104 consecutive breast lesions with known histology, of which 75 were benign and 29 malignant. The results are presented in terms of the sensitivity and specificity for each method.

Fine needle aspiration cytology had a sensitivity for malignancy of 88% (n=26) and a specificity of 97% (n=58). Similarly, sensitivity for mammography was 95% (n=20) and clinical examination 90% (n=29). Respective specificiaties were 96% (n=45) and 83% (n=75). In none of the 29 patients with breast cancer were all three modalities negative.

It is concluded that without specialist breast clinicians and cytologists, a combination of fine needle aspiration cytology, clinical examination and mammography can still provide a degree of preoperative diagnostic accuracy comparable with specialist centres, allowing prompt counselling with all the subsequent benefits.