ROLE OF FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY AND CORE BIOPSY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF BREAST LUMPS

Objective: To evaluate diagnostic importance of fine needle aspiration cytology and core biopsy in breast lumps.Material and Methods: A study of eighty patients was carried out from April 2003 to March 2004 at Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar with age ranging from 20 to 60 years. They were managed by triple assessment in the out patients department which included clinical examination/imaging and pathological examination by fine needle aspiration cytology and core biopsy.Results: Out of the 80 patients, 50 patients had conclusive results while 30 patients with equivocal results were subjected to core biopsy. Twenty patients with equivocal were reported benign and 10 patients turned out to be malignant.Conclusion: Fine needle aspiration cytology and core biopsy are the most effective non invasive techniques with little morbidity and no mortality and surgery for breast lumps can be based safely on the result of FNAC and core biopsy.