Frequency of benign breast diseases in female patients presenting with breast complaints - a study at a tertiary care center

Abstract

Background: Throughout life period of female, breast is subjected to constant physical and physiological alterations that are related to puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, lactation, and menopause. Benign breast diseases (BBD) constitute a heterogeneous group of breast lesions which include developmental abnormalities, inflammatory and granulomatous lesions, epithelial and stromal proliferations, and neoplasms. Methods: This is a prospective study of 116 females with breast complaints presenting to surgery department over a period of one year. Malignant cases are excluded from the study. In addition to detailed history, triple assessment including thorough clinical examination, imaging study and tissue biopsy was done to arrive at a diagnosis. Results: Most common BBD is fibroadenoma followed by mastalgia, breast abscess and fibrocystic disease in our population. Commonest way of presentation was lump in breast followed by mastalgia and nipple discharge. Conclusion: The patients of BBDs generally present with complaints like breast lump, breast pain or nipple discharge. All the patients with discrete breast lumps should undergo a triple assessment to make an early diagnosis.

Keywords

• benign breast disorders
• aberrations in the normal development and involution
• fibroadenoma
• mastalgia
• fibrocystic disease