NEW YORK -- September 25, 2008 -- It is safe to take anticoagulants before core needle breast biopsies, according to a study in the October issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
Patricia Somerville, MD, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Elizabeth Wende Breast Clinic, Rochester, New York, and colleagues assessed the safety of performing core needle breast biopsy in patients receiving anticoagulation therapy compared with patients not receiving therapy.
The study included 200 women (220 biopsy sites) who were taking anticoagulants and 855 (924 biopsy sites) women who were not. Adverse reactions, including the presence and size of haematomas and bruises after a woman's core needle biopsy, were recorded.
There was a statistically significant difference (P = .035) in the percentage of bruises between patients receiving anticoagulation therapy and those who were not.
Bruising occurred in 34% of the women in anticoagulated group compared with 26.5% of women in the control group.
The differences were not statistically significant for haematoma formation (P = .274) or bruising with haematoma formation (P = 0.413). Haematoma occurred in 6% of the anticoagulated patients versus 4.2% of patients in the control group.
Patients reporting a bruise and haematoma numbered 10 of 200 (5%) for the anticoagulated group and 32 of 855 (3.7%) for the control group.
"Our study demonstrates that it is safe to perform core needle biopsies on patients taking aspirin and warfarin. Patients can remain on their medications and avoid surgical biopsy if the lesion is benign," said Dr. Somerville.
SOURCE: American Roentgen Ray Society
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