Women suspected of having breast cancer are usually referred for a breast biopsy to determine whether the lesion is cancerous. In most cases, breast lesions are not cancers and do not require further treatment. Biopsies may be performed using either minimally invasive core needle biopsy or open surgical biopsy.

In the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers reviewed more than 70 published articles to assess the risks and benefits of these two different methods. They found that core needle biopsy was able to distinguish between malignant and benign lesions with approximately the same accuracy as open surgical biopsy but was associated with a lower risk of severe complications (less than 1 percent compared to 2 to 10 percent).

When making the decision about which kind of biopsy to have, women should talk to their physicians about the benefits and harms of each method. The location of the lesion, the type of lesion, and the patient's risk factors may dictate which type of biopsy should be performed. However, in many cases patient preference will be the most important factor in the decision.

SOURCE:
Annals of Internal Medicine, December 15, 2009
American College of Physicians (http://www.acponline.org)