A new study looking at the impact that undergoing a breast biopsy has on short-term quality of life, particularly for younger women, is of interest to leading Breast Surgeon, Mr Simon Marsh.
“It is important for everyone involved in diagnosing and treating breast conditions to be aware of the potential problems, including the emotional distress that patients can suffer and do everything that is possible to reduce it.” he says. “Taking a core biopsy is a standard way of diagnosing the cause of a lump in the breast but we must be aware of the short-term side effects, both physical and psychological, that this procedure involves. With increasing numbers of biopsies being performed on non-cancerous (benign) lesions serious complications can occur”.
The new study, published online in the journalRadiology, was carried out by Harvard Assistant Professor Dr Janie M.Lee. Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston questioned women two to four days after undergoing a percutaneous breast biopsy.They used a tool called the Testing Morbidities Index (TMI), a survey that assesses short-term quality of life based on seven attributes, including pain/discomfort and fear/anxiety before and during the procedure, and physical and mental function afterwards. The patients rated each characteristic on a scale of one to five, and the final score was adjusted to a scale ranging from 0 for the worst possible experience to 100 for no adverse quality-of-life effects.
The 188 women, ranging in age from 22 to 80 years, had a mean TMI score of 82 out of 100. Patient age was the only significant independent predictor of the TMI score, which decreased by approximately three points for every decade decrease in patient age. The mean TMI score for women less than 40 years old was 76.4.
"The most important result from this study is that women have short-term decreases in quality of life related to breast biopsy," said Dr. Lee. "When we looked at the predictors of quality-of-life score, we found that the strongest predictor is younger age."
Dr Lee suggests that a possible explanation for these results is that younger women may have less experience of diagnostic procedures.
"The prospect of life-threatening disease can produce a lot of anxiety in anyone," she said. "Younger women typically have less experience with the health care system in general, and it may be their first time going through a diagnostic testing experience."
The study findings suggest that tailored pre-biopsy counselling may better prepare women for percutaneous biopsy procedures.
"By better explaining what patients can expect during the biopsy experience, we can minimise anxiety before and after the procedure," Dr. Lee said.
