Benign Breast Diseases: Profile at a Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Benign breast diseases are the most common cause of breast problems. About a quarter of women during her lifetime will suffer from a benign breast disorder that requires some form of treatment. The most common symptoms are breast pain, lumpiness or a lump and nipple discharge. Triple assessment that includes clinical examination, imaging like ultrasonography (USG) or mammography and a pathological examination – FNAC or core needle biopsy has a very high accuracy rate in diagnosing, discrete benign breast diseases and this can be used for reassurance. This was a hospital based prospective study to determine the frequency of benign breast diseases and their pattern. Demographic data, investigations and histopathological diagnosis were collected and analyzed from patients who attended presenting to the department of surgery with breast complaints. The clinical diagnoses were compared with final diagnosis. After that they were appropriately managed. There were 160 patients in the cohort. Out of the patients presenting with benign breast diseases female (96%) were predominant. The majority of the patients (67%) were in the age group of 21 years to 40 years. The commonest presentation of benign breast diseases was pain (45%), followed by lump (26%). Fibroadenoma accounted for 46%. This study showed that among the benign breast diseases in females there were preponderance of mastalgia and fibroadenoma followed by fibrocystic diseases.