Role of Triple Assessment of Breast Lump in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women -A Comparative and Descriptive Study

Abstract

Triple assessment of breast is based on clinical examination, histological and radiological study where in our study, the pattern of breast swelling in a premenopausal and postmenopausal woman was compared. A total of 150 female patients with palpable breast lump went through clinical examination, FNAC, USG breast while mammogram & core needle biopsy was done in selected patients. Histopathological examination of the specimen was done for all post-operative patients. Benign & malignant breast lesion accounted for 82(54.6%) & 68(45.3%) respectively. Based on the incidence of benign breast lump & malignant breast lump among pre menopausal women, it was 79% & 21% respectively while in post menopausal women it was  21.9% & 78.1%. The most common type of breast lump among the pre and post menopausal women was fibroadenoma 56.9% & Invasive ductal carcinoma 59.3% respectively. The most common benign breast lump & malignant breast lesion based on the histological pattern among the premenopausal women was fibroadenoma 72% & Invasive ductal carcinoma 50% while in postmenopausal women it was fibroadenosis 71.4% & Invasive Ductal Carcinoma 76%. Based on the hormonal status(ER/PR) of pre and postmenopausal women positivity was seen majorly in post menopausal women 82.3% compared to premenopausal women 17.7%. In our study, the malignant breast disease was more common in post menopausal, while benign breast disease was common in pre menopausal women.  Triple assessment in evaluating a breast lump is per se a reliable & valid tool in the armamentarium of treating clinician with very high diagnostic accuracy.