Stereotactic 14G core biopsy of non-palpable breast cancer: what is the relationship between the number of core samples taken and the sensitivity for detection of malignancy?

Aim: Percutaneous 14-gauge core biopsy (CB) guided by digital stereotactic mammography is now an established technique in the investigation of women with non-palpable suspicious mammographic lesions. Diagnostic sensitivity of CB is affected both by the nature of the mammographic abnormality and by the number of core samples taken.

Methods And Results: A retrospective review of 500 women who have undergone CB in our institution showed that in 235 cases, invasive or non-invasive carcinoma was found on final surgical histology.

Anxiety in women "at risk' of developing breast cancer.

Do family history clinics offering counselling, surveillance and preventative programmes alleviate or exacerbate anxiety in women at a high risk of developing breast cancer? In this study risk perceptions and anxiety of 99 'at risk' women participating in the Tamoxifen Prevention Trial were compared with those of 87 'at risk' women not attending any specialist clinic who were recruited from the National Breast Screening Programme (NBSP). Most anxiety was found in NBSP women with a family history. Women attending the family history clinic and participating in the trial had anxiety scores comparable with 86 women recruited from the NBSP who did not have a family history.

Adverse life events and breast cancer: case-control study.

Objective: To investigate the strength of association between past life events and the development of breast cancer.

Design: Case-control study. A standardised life events interview and rating was administered before a definitive diagnosis.

Acute inflammation of the breast--the role of breast ultrasound in diagnosis and management.

Twenty female patients aged between 24 and 69 years were referred for breast ultrasound (US) examination between June 1989 and June 1990, with clinical suspicion of a breast abscess. Six were currently lactating. Initial US examination confirmed the presence of an abscess collection in nine out of 20 patients.