Breast lesions with atypia in percutaneous biopsies, managed with surgery in the last 10 years.

INTRODUCTION: The optimal management of breast lesions with atypia (BLA), detected in percutaneous biopsies after screening mammograms, is a controversial issue. The aim of this paper is to compare histological diagnosis by percutaneous biopsy with the results of the surgical biopsy of these lesions and to analyse the changes to clinical approach this would imply. METHOD: A retrospective study was carried out on patients operated on between June 2007 and June 2017 with a diagnosis of BLA. One hundred and forty-seven patients were identified with a pre-operative diagnosis of flat epithelial atypia (FEA), atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), atypical lobular hyperplasia, lobular carcinoma in situ and other atypia. RESULTS: The average age at diagnosis of BLAs was 52 ± 9.4 years. Radiologically, the lesions presented as microcalcifications in 79%, nodules in 15.6% and other lesions 5.4%. 73.5% of these were biopsied by means of digital stereotaxis. All of the patients analysed underwent a partial mastectomy. Changes in a biologically high-risk lesion were observed in 26.5% of the surgical specimens, of which 75.5% corresponded with ADH and FEA. In the percutaneous biopsies consistent with ADH (40.1%), ductal carcinoma was discovered in 6.8% (5.1% in situ and 1.7% invasive), which implied specific, multi-disciplinary management. Of the FEAs, 84.8% required a second treatment (surgery and/or hormone therapy ± radiotherapy, depending on whether it concerned FEA 59.6%, ADH 21.2% or ductal carcinoma in situ 3.8%). CONCLUSION: These data show the clinical relevance in the diagnosis of ADH and FEA in percutaneous biopsies. For the diagnosis of FEA in particular, the associated risk of biologically high-risk lesions and ductal carcinoma is made evident.

Isolated Flat Epithelial Atypia on Core Biopsy Specimens Is Associated With a Low Risk of Upgrade at Excision.

OBJECTIVES: We present a retrospective review of 111 breast core biopsy specimens with flat epithelial atypia (FEA) and corresponding excision to better understand rates of upgrade following this diagnosis. METHODS: In total, 252 breast core biopsy specimens were identified. Cases were excluded if biopsy slides or excision results were unavailable, for ipsilateral carcinoma or other findings warranting excision, or biopsy performed for indications other than mammographically detected calcifications. Coincident atypical lobular hyperplasia was not excluded. Diagnoses were confirmed by breast pathologists, and mammographic images were reviewed. RESULTS: Ultimately, 111 biopsy specimens with FEA were included. In subsequent excisions, one (1%) of 111 showed invasive carcinoma, 20 (18%) atypical ductal hyperplasia, 20 (18%) lobular neoplasia, 31 (28%) FEA, and 39 (35%) no atypical findings. CONCLUSIONS: FEA on core biopsy specimens is associated with a low rate of upgrade to invasive carcinoma. Close follow-up may be a reasonable alternative to excision for isolated FEA on core needle biopsy specimens.