Fine-needle biopsy of sarcomas of the breast.

From 1967 through 1978, fine-needle biopsy of the breast was performed in a total of 612 cases including 415 benign and 197 malignant mammary lesions. In 16 cases the diagnosis was sarcoma, namely primary tumour in 12 cases (fusocellular, 2; round-cell, 1; chondromyxosarcoma, 1; leiomyosarcoma, 1; melanoblastoma, 1; angiosarcoma, 2; malignant cystosarcoma phylloides, 4), and metastatic sarcomas in 4 cases (round-cell, 1; reticulum-cell, 1; melanoblastoma, 2). The cytomorphology, the histology and the diagnostic problems of mesenchymal malignant neoplasms are discussed in detail, and the practical value in the pre-operative diagnosis of mammary sarcomas by fine-needle biopsy is stressed. Clinical experience has proved that this procedure is harmless, therefore its routine application is recommended.