Investigating Breast Lumps
- Core Biopsy
Core Biopsy is performed under local anaesthetic using a wide needle (wider than that used in the fine needle test mentioned earlier) to allow a larger number of cells to be collected. The test causes more bruising than the fine needle test, but has the advantage of distinguishing between invasive and non-invasive breast cancer.
A core biopsy is not essential in most cases as the fine needle test is usually adequate in making a diagnosis.
If the physical examination, fine needle test, mammogram and ultrasound scan do not detect a cancer, then the breast lump can be safely left alone if the patient so wishes, provided that the lump is re-evaluated in six months’ time. It is the author’s opinion that all palpable lumps should be excised in women over the age of 40 to ensure that breast cancer diagnosis is not missed.
In many breast units, it is often possible to undergo all the tests mentioned above and obtain the results on the same day. Such clinics are called ‘one-stop breast clinics’.