When to do breast puncture

When suspicious lesions are found, the nature of the mass is unknown, or the imaging test results show that it may be malignant, a breast biopsy is usually required. Breast biopsy is an important means to determine the nature of the lesion. It can determine whether the breast disease is benign or malignant, thereby guiding the subsequent treatment plan. The following are common situations that require breast biopsy and related recommendations.

1. Abnormal breast imaging examination

When breast ultrasound, mammography or MRI shows nodules or lumps in the breast, and the shape, boundary or calcification characteristics show the possibility of malignant tumors, doctors usually recommend a puncture biopsy to further clarify the nature.

-Nodule borders are blurred: The nodules are irregular and radial in shape, which may indicate malignant lesions.

-Microcalcifications: Dense, poorly defined calcifications may be early manifestations of cancer.

It is recommended to go to a professional hospital immediately to complete the puncture examination, because imaging can only guess the results and cannot provide a clear pathological diagnosis.

2. The nature of the breast lump is unknown

If an unknown lump is found during a physical examination or palpation, and it grows rapidly in a short period of time or is accompanied by symptoms such as breast pain, skin dimpling, and nipple discharge, you should be alert to malignant changes. A puncture biopsy can extract tissue or cells from the lump to determine whether it is a benign lesion (such as a fibroadenoma) or a malignant tumor (such as breast cancer). Special attention should be paid in the following situations:

-The lump is tender but hard: it may be an inflammatory or malignant lesion.

-Unilateral abnormal nipple discharge: especially bloody discharge, may be related to breast ductal carcinoma.

Treatment suggestions: Such patients should cooperate with doctors to undergo breast puncture as soon as possible to clarify the nature of the lump and avoid delaying the disease.

3. Suspected infectious disease or cyst

Patients with breast abscesses or infectious diseases often experience local redness, swelling, heat and pain. Especially when anti-infection treatment is ineffective, doctors may recommend puncture to extract pus to identify the pathogen and symptomatic treatment. Simple breast cysts, such as those with concurrent infection or bloody fluid in the cyst, also require puncture pathological examination to rule out the possibility of potential malignant diseases.

Recommendation: Choose an experienced specialist to perform the operation to reduce the risk of infection and accidental puncture.

4. Preoperative or postoperative follow-up of patients with known tumors

For patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, preoperative puncture biopsy can be further classified, such as determining the expression of hormone receptors (ER, PR) or HER-2. For suspected lesions of recurrence or metastasis during postoperative review, pathological results can also be obtained through puncture to provide a basis for targeted therapy or chemotherapy.

Recommendation: Regularly review imaging studies as directed by your doctor, and perform appropriate punctures in a timely manner to assess disease progression.

Breast biopsy is an important part of breast disease diagnosis. It can help clarify the diagnosis and guide treatment when imaging shows abnormalities, unidentified masses exist, or infection is suspected. If abnormal changes occur in the breast, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible and follow the advice of a specialist to choose the appropriate examination method to detect and treat potential health problems as early as possible.