In a recent issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the ECRI Institute Evidence-based Practice Center reported that a less invasive procedure called core needle biopsy seems to be almost as accurate as open surgical biopsy for the diagnosis of breast cancer. In addition, core needle biopsy is associated with lower complication rates than the open procedure.

The researchers compared the accuracy of harms of different breast biopsy methods in average-risk women suspected of having breast cancer by examining studies that compared core needle biopsy and open surgical biopsy. They found evidence that core needle biopsy conducted under stereotactic guidance with vacuum assistance was able to distinguish between malignant and benign breast lesions with similar accuracy to open surgical biopsy. Ultrasound-guided breast biopsy was also found to very accurate. Most importantly, the complication risk for core needle biopsy was <1%, as compared to 2% to 10% with open surgical biopsy. 

Most women who undergo breast biopsy are found not to have breast cancer. Although this study showed that stereotactic- and ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy were nearly as accurate as open surgical biopsy for distinguishing between cancerous and benign breast lesions in women with average risk for breast cancer, it is important to keep in mind that the strength of evidence was rated low because the trials on which the evidence was based did not report important details required to assess the risk for bias.

Source:

Ann Intern Med. 2010; 152(4): 4238-4246.