Original Contribution
Role of FNAC and Core Needle Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Breast Lesions
1.*Dr. Anindita Sarkar, MD (Pathology), Assistant Professor (C.C), Pathology Department, Rajshahi Medical
College. abantica.16@gmail.com.
2. Prof. Dr. S. M. Asafudullah, MD (Pathology), Professor and Head of Department of Pathology, Rajshahi Medical
College.
3. Dr. Khadiza Khanam, MD (Pathology), Professor, Pathology Department, Rajshahi Medical College.
4. Dr. Rukhshana Akhter Jahan, MD (Pathology), Associate Professor, Pathology Department, Rajshahi Medical
College.
5. Dr. Tanshina Afrin, MD (Pathology), Assistant Professor (C.C), Pathology Department, Rajshahi Medical College.
6. Dr. Rebeka Sultana, MD (Pathology), Consultant, Islami Bank Hospital, Rajshahi.
*For correspondence
Abstract
Background: Though excision biopsy of breast lump is considered to be the gold standard method
for diagnosis, there should be an improved and definitive method for establishing an accurate
diagnosis of breast lesions prior to surgery. This study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and
diagnostic performance of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and core needle biopsy (CNB)
in the preoperative assessment of breast lesions.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the private diagnostic center in Rajshahi,
Bangladesh over a period of one year from January 2022 to December 2022.A total of 60 cases
were subjected to both FNAC and CNB from the same breast lesions included in this study.
Result: The age range of total 60 patients was 22-85 years with mean age of 42.18 ±SD 12.15
years. 38 patients had benign lesions and 22 had malignant tumors. Sensitivity, specificity, positive
predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy for FNAC were 89.4%, 100%,
100%, 84.6%, and 93.3%, respectively in diagnosing carcinoma. CNB had sensitivity, specificity,
positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy of 94.7%, 100%,
100%, 91.6% and 91.6% respectively. Both FNAC and CNB showed statistically significant
association.
Conclusion: Taking into account the benefits and outcomes, combined approach of FNAC and
CNB can provide accurate preoperative diagnosis of breast lesions and provide important
information for appropriate treatment
[Journal of Histopathology and Cytopathology, 2023 Jan; 7 (1):21-26]
Keywords: FNAC, Core needle biopsy (CNB), Breast lesion
Full article