Audit of eliminating biopsy for presumed fibroadenomas with benign ultrasound greyscale and shear-wave elastography findings in women aged 25–39 years

Aim: To assess the safety of a policy of not biopsying presumed fibroadenomas with benign ultrasound and shear-wave elastography findings in women aged 25–39 years.

Materials and Methods: Patients aged 25–39 years were included after attending a one-stop clinic before 01/05/2019 where clinical and ultrasound greyscale findings suggested a benign mass and shear-wave elastography showed a mean stiffness of <50 kPa. Such patients were reassured and discharged without biopsy or follow-up. The archived ultrasound images were reviewed subsequently by a second radiologist who could recall patients for biopsy if he deemed the imaging findings to be not definitively benign. Local and national electronic records were reviewed to identify whether these patients later re-presented with breast problems.

Results: Seventy-six women with a mean age of 33 years were included. The minimum follow-up was 12 months and the mean follow-up was 2 years. Three (4%) of patients were recalled after review of the ultrasound images by a second radiologist. Five (7%) patients re-presented with the same lump. Three (4%) patients re-presented with a different benign problem. Two patients presented with breast cancer in the ipsilateral breast but at a different location from the assessed benign lesion.

Conclusion: Early audit results of a policy of not biopsying or following up clinically benign masses with benign ultrasound greyscale appearances and shear wave stiffness <50 kPa in women aged 25–39 years suggest that this approach may be safe and acceptable.