Clinical Significance and Problems of Percutaneous Biopsy of Liver Metastasis in Patients with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Aim : For metastatic breast cancer treatment, biopsies of metastatic lesions are often performed. Although biopsy is an important technique, it is intractable because of its invasiveness. We investigated the usefulness and safety of biopsy in metastatic breast cancer treatment.

Methods : Biological characteristics of the primary lesion were compared and the presence and degree of complications were examined among 10 patients who underwent liver biopsy for suspected liver metastasis from breast cancer after September 2016.

Results : The average age was 56 years, and the average interval from breast cancer diagnosis to liver biopsy was 90 months. Three patients had primary liver malignancies, and seven were diagnosed with liver metastasis from breast cancer. The discordant rate of biological subtypes was 43% among the primary and metastatic lesions in the seven patients with liver metastasis. The treatment was determined based on liver biopsy results in 6 of 10 patients. In the seven liver metastasis cases, the average survival after biopsy was 11 months. The complications were pain (2 patients), hemorrhage (1 patient), and fever (1 patient) ; none of the complications were serious.

Conclusion : Liver biopsy causes mild complications ; it is useful and affects the treatment plan.