Clinically indeterminate breast lesions with normal imaging: A retrospective study in a symptomatic breast care unit

Abstract

Background: Triple assessment of breast pathologies is a very important pathway to detect breast cancers earlier. Objectives: To ascertain the necessity of clinical-guided core biopsy (CGCB) or fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for investigating clinically indeterminate breast lesions with no significant imaging findings. Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of 72 patients who had clinical core biopsy or fine-needle cytology was carried out to investigate clinically indeterminate breast lesions with normal imaging during the period from September 2017 to September 2019. Results: Out of 72 patients, 61 clinically indeterminate breast lesions (P3) were investigated and showed that 39 lesions (63.9%) were graded as B1, 17 lesions (27.8%) were graded as B2, two lesions (3.2%) were graded as B3 showing atypia, no lesions were graded as B4, two lesions (3.2%) were graded as B5 (one [1.6%] was found to be invasive lobular carcinoma [ILC] and the other one [1.6%] was found to be metastatic colorectal cancer to the breast), while one lesion investigated by FNAC was graded as C2 (1.6%). Conclusion: CGCB or FNAC is still necessary and vital for investigating clinically indeterminate breast lesions with normal imaging.