There are generally two types of punctures, one for hollow-core needle puncture, known as coarse needle puncture, and the other for cytology, known as fine needle puncture.
A foreign expert analyzed a total of 5369 breast cancer patients who underwent hollow-core needle aspiration from 1990 to 2008 and found that the detection rate of tumor cells in the needle tract was 22%, but this did not increase the local recurrence rate after surgery, and follow-up confirmed that there was no significant difference in the local recurrence rate between the hollow-core needle aspiration and surgical excisional biopsy groups. Because most patients undergo total mastectomy shortly after hollow-core needle puncture, there is no question of sequelae occurring from needle-tract tumor residuals.
For those who wish to preserve the breast, experienced surgeons will also select the appropriate site of entry for the hollow-core needle puncture to facilitate the complete removal of the tumor by including both the puncture site and the needle tract in the extensive local excision during breast-conserving surgery.
According to several large foreign studies, hollow-core needle puncture does not increase the chance of transmural dissemination or distant metastases.
This shows that although the fear of tumor spread due to hollow-core needle puncture may sound reasonable, studies have shown that this fear is superfluous. It has been proven that hollow-core needle aspiration is a safe, effective, easy, and rapid method for pathologic diagnosis of breast masses, and has been used routinely for many years abroad as a means to define breast masses. Cytologic examination is less likely to result in tumor spread compared to hollow-core needle aspiration.