Non Operative Breast Pathology: An overview of assessment of prognostic and predictive factors in breast cancer needle core biopsy specimens

Abstract

Needle core biopsy (NCB), as part of triple assessment for preoperative evaluation and diagnosis of breast cancer, is now considered as an established, highly accurate method for diagnosing breast cancer that has replaced either fine needle aspiration cytology or excisional biopsy as the initial diagnostic biopsy procedures in many institutions. Aside for its primary role in establishing an accurate histologic diagnosis, NCB can potentially provide important additional pathological prognostic information which may be of direct clinical value in certain situations such as patients being considered for preoperative (neoadjuvant) therapy. With this background in mind we briefly review the current role of needle core biopsy in breast cancer diagnosis and then concentrate this review on the usefulness and issues relating to use of this technique to providing accurate, reliable and clinically relevant preoperative prognostic, and predictive information in breast cancer patients.