Specimen mammography-guided fine-needle aspirates of clinically occult benign and malignant lesions. Analysis of cell number and type.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The authors determine the cell counts and percentages of epithelial cells in fine-needle aspirates (FNA) of mammographically detected breast lesions.

METHODS

Specimen mammography-guided 20-gauge fine-needle aspirations were performed on 151 consecutive lesions. Cell counts were determined by flow cytometry of 106 consecutive aspirates. Semiquantitative determination of the percentage of epithelial cells was done by cytologic analysis of 151 aspirates.

RESULTS

Single FNA cell counts were greater than 1000 for all lesions and greater than 7000 in 57% (31 of 54) of malignant and 35% (18 of 52) of benign lesions, P = 0.02. Fine-needle aspirates of soft tissue abnormalities had more than 7000 cells in 59% (27 of 46) of specimens, compared with 36% (22 of 61) in calcifications, P < 0.05. With the exception of fibroadenomas, the mammographic appearance of benign lesions, lesion size, and patient age had no association with cell counts. Ninety-three percent (76 of 82) of malignant lesion FNA and 80% (55 of 69) of benign lesion FNA had 50% or greater epithelial cells, P < 0.05.

CONCLUSIONS

Fine-needle aspiration yields abundant cell counts of predominantly epithelial cells from most types of mammographically detected lesions and should be considered as a source of fresh cell samples for the study of benign and early malignant breast disease.