Fine-needle aspiration cytology for breast lesions and cytopathologic correlations. An Italian peripheral hospital experience with 440 cases (from 2000 to 2007).

Fine-needle aspiration cytology for breast lesions and cytopathologic correlations. An Italian peripheral hospital experience with 440 cases (from 2000 to 2007). S. Erra, D. Costamagna In the present study, we evaluate our experience with Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) for the diagnosis of breast tumor. Our intent is to correlate the diagnostic accuracy of FNAC for breast lesions on the basis of their respective histopathologic results. We retrospectively examined 440 cases of breast lesions who underwent FNAC and subsequently had definitive histopathologic diagnosis. The patients were observed over a period of eight years (from January 2000 to December 2007) at the "Santo Spirito" Hospital of Casale Monferrato, a general peripheral hospital in the North-West Italy (Piemonte Region). The results of FNAC were expressed using the five diagnostic categories recommended by European Guidelines on breast tumors as follows: 159 C5 cases (36,1%), 88 C4 (20%), 51 C3 (11,6%), 42 C2 (9,5%), and 100 C1 (22,7%). The statistical analysis revealed these values: sensitivity 93.8% (C5+C4), specificity 79.6%, C5 positive predictive value 97.5%, C2 negative predictive value 83.3%, false positive fraction 2.5%, false negative fraction 16.6%, diagnostic accuracy 71.2%. In consideration to the low cost and the low disconfort for patients, we consider FNAC a safe and feasible procedure, in particular in the context of peripheral hospitals, where a sophisticated technology is not available. We remark the importance of a good selection of patients to obtain the best results from the procedure.