A clinical study was undertaken to evaluate the practice of collecting random routine biopsies during augmentation mammaplasties and related breast procedures; 838 specimens were collected from 455 patients over a 2-year period. The laboratory findings were compared with pathological conditions deemed to be potentially precancerous in current literature; 11 specimens (1.4%) were determined to be "high risk" and one (0.1%) was found to be cancerous. The conclusion was subsequently drawn that the random biopsy alone, although beneficial, was not an effective means of patient evaluation.