Three year follow-up of benign fine-needle aspiration biopsies of the breast.

Benign fine-needle aspiration, taken in context, is a reasonable alternative to open biopsy. We found a false-negative rate comparable to that for frozen section or routine histologic examination of benign surgical breast biopsies. Fine-needle aspiration must always be interpreted in context. It is never satisfactory to use this test to ignore or choose not to surgically biopsy a lump that is suspicious on clinical grounds or on the basis of other tests.