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Background. Core biopsy of the breast is currently considered to be the standard method of obtaining material for morphological and molecular genetic methods. Unfortunately, this method is associated with a number of problems, primarily the risk of complications (bleeding, pneumothorax) and discomfort during manipulation.Aim. To analyze transcriptional signatures of breast tissue samples obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Materials and methods. Using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, we studied the mRNA expression level of 60 target genes in 60 samples obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy and in 60 corresponding formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) surgical specimens of breast. Samples were obtained from the tumor, adjacent tissue, the so-called tumor bed and formally normal tissue at a distance from the primary lesion.Results. A comparative analysis of transcriptional signatures in samples obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy and FFPE specimens (120 samples in total) reveled the strongest correlations between transcriptional signatures in biopsy samples and FFPE specimens of tumors. Very strong correlation in tumor samples was established for one gene (CTSL2); strong for 18 genes (MKI67, MYBL2, NAT1, PTEN, TPX2, PTTG1, UBE2T, CCNB1, ESR1, CCND1, MYC, SCGB2A2, MIA, TRAC, FGFR4, ANLN, GSTM1, PRLR); averages for 28 genes (PGR, AURCA, KRT5, FOXA1, SFRP1, EMSY, EXO1, PAK1, KIF14, ERBB2, MMP11, BCL2, BAG1, TMEM45B, BIRC5, CD274/PDL1, ZNF703, TYMS, CCNE1, TPT1, TMEM45A, BRCA1, BRCA2, ESR2, STS, TNFSF11/RANKL, TNFRSF11B/OPG, TNF); weak for 4 genes (GRB7, EGFR, PGRMC1, CYP19A). The presence of correlations between transcriptional signatures in biopsy samples and FFPE specimens can be established in case of sufficient material corresponding to sample intake control (SIC) ≥5 lg for B2M gene.Conclusion. The ability to conduct molecular genetic research on small samples of breast tissue makes it possible to obtain the material using the most minimally invasive method. And this, in turn, expands the possibilities of “genetic monitoring” of cancer, as well as the possibility of more accurate assessment the risks of malignant tumor development in the settings of benign conditions in women with fibrocystic disease and increased mammographic density.

Background. Achieving a pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) is a predictive factor for improving disease free and overall survival. In triple negative (TN) and HER2-positive breast cancer (BC), the pCR rate exceeds 60 %. Patients with TN and HER2-positive BC who demonstrate an excellent response to NST are like­ly ideal candidates for downsizing surgery. The condition for reducing the volume of surgical intervention is a reliable determination of pathologic complete response using instrumental imaging and biopsy methods.Aim. To further assess the accuracy of post-NST image-guided biopsy to predict pCR.Materials and methods. Sixty one patients with T1-3N0-3 triple negative or HER2-positive BC receiving NST in the Department of Breast Tumors of the NMRC of Oncology named after N.N. Petrov in the period from 2017 to 2019 were enrolled in this single-center retrospective trial. Patients underwent ultrasound-guided core-biopsy of the initial breast tumor region before surgery. Findings were compared with findings on pathologic evaluation of surgical specimens to determine the performance of biopsy in predicting pCR after NST.Results. After neoadjuvant systemic therapy, clinical partial response (cPR) was diagnosed in 47 (77 %) patients, clinical complete response (cCR) in 14 (23 %) patients. pCR in the core-biopsy tissue and surgical material was achieved in 46 (75.4 %) and 37 (60.7 %), respectively. Performance of image-guided core-biopsy: sensitivity 100 % (95 % confldence interval (CI) 90.51-100), specificity 62.5 % (95 % CI 40.59-81.20), false-negative rate (FNR) 0 %, positive-pre­dictive value (PPV) 75.00 % (95 % CI 59.46-85.99), negative predictive value (NPV) 100.00 %.Conclusion. This retrospective trial showed that ultrasound-guided core biopsies are accurate enough to identify breast pCR in patients with triple-negative or HER2-positive BC with good response after NST (FNR 0 %). Based on these results, a prospective clinical trial has commenced in which breast surgery is omitted in patients with a breast pCR after NST according to image-guided biopsy.

Information on the morphological type of a tumor is of crucial importance for successfully planning the treatment of patients with breast cancer (BC). Technological progress in the past decade has led to quality improvement in the diagnosis of particularly nonpalpable BC, one of whose manifestations is microcalcinates. Adequate use of mini-invasive procedures for obtaining materials for morphological analysis is favorable for extending the capabilities of accurate preoperative diagnosis verification to effectively plan a patient treatment and rehabilitation program.

Preoperative verification of breast cancer (BC) is a necessary stage of diagnosis. The main method for obtaining materials is fine-needle aspiration biopsy that is of low informative value in a number of cases. Histological biopsy of nonpalpable breast masses extends the verification capabilities of accurate diagnosis and determines the choice and tactics of combination and complex treatments in patients with BC just at a preoperative stage, and, in case of detection of a benign tumor, enables one to abandon sector resection with an urgent histological study.