[Vacuum-assisted breast biopsy for diagnosis of non-palpable lesions: experience with 226 cases].

Vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB) is now available for non-palpable lesions. The present study describes the results obtained from 226 consecutive VABBs performed at "L. Sacco" Hospital, Milan, from November 2005 to July 2007 (198 stereotactic and 28 ultrasonographic procedures).

Primary carcinoma of ectopic breast tissue.

We describe a case of a 37-year-old woman with a left axillary mass. Often, the initial differential diagnosis of an axillary mass is not easy to make. We performed fine-needle aspiration of the axillary mass that revealed the presence of numerous epithelial neoplastic cells.

Single-agent epirubicin as primary chemotherapy in T2-T3, N0-N2, M0 breast carcinoma: 6-year follow-up.

Objective: Single-agent epirubicin was tested as primary chemotherapy treatment in patients with early breast cancer >3 cm.

Methods: 100 women with locally advanced breast cancer >3 cm were treated with three cycles of single-agent epirubicin at a dose of 120 mg/m2. All patients showing tumor shrinkage to less than 3 cm were considered candidates for conservative surgery (quadrantectomy); in the remaining patients modified radical mastectomy was carried out.