Background: Widespread screening mammography has resulted in detection of many breast cancers smaller than one cm. Image-guided percutaneous needle sampling provides accurate diagnostic and prognostic information for adjuvant therapy. Less invasive methods based on imaging techniques are emerging as an alternative to wire localization and lumpectomy.
Data sources: Information presented in this overview was provided by seven investigators from five medical centers in the United States. These researchers are currently developing various techniques of image-guided percutaneous therapy of small (Tis, 1) breast cancers.
Conclusions: Several percutaneous treatment modalities for treatment of early breast cancer, either excisional or in-situ ablative, are described in this overview and their potential applications are discussed.