Age affects short-term quality of life after breast biopsy

Percutaneous breast biopsies can negatively affect a woman's short-term quality of life, especially younger women, according to a new study published online November 19 in Radiology.

Percutaneous biopsies are associated with fewer complications than the surgical biopsy approach, but there are still significant short-term side effects, including pain and emotional distress, that can affect a woman's future compliance with screening, noted researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Janie Lee and colleagues surveyed 188 patients (age, 22-80) two to four days after the women underwent percutaneous biopsy. The team used the Testing Morbidities Index (TMI), which assesses short-term quality of life based on seven attributes, including pain and discomfort and fear and anxiety before and during the procedure, and physical and mental function afterward. Patients rated each characteristic on a scale of 1 to 5; the final score was adjusted to a scale ranging from 0 for the worst possible experience to 100 for no adverse effects.

The mean TMI score was 82. Patient age was the only significant independent predictor of TMI score, which decreased by approximately three points for every decade decrease in patient age. The mean TMI score for women younger than 40 was 76.4.

The study findings suggest that tailored prebiopsy counseling may better prepare women for percutaneous biopsy procedures, according to Lee's group.

"By better explaining what patients can expect during the biopsy experience, we can minimize anxiety before and after the procedure," she said in a statement released by RSNA.