Clinicopathological Correlation of Inflammatory Benign Lesions with Emphasis on Mimickers of Breast Carcinomas in Rural Inhabitants of India

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is one of the commonest malignancies among Indian womwen. There are many inflammatory breast lesions which mimic malignancy and they never proceed to malignancy. It includes abscess, variants of mastitis and fat necrosis.

Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, UPUMS, Saifai, Etawah (U.P). Fine‑needle aspiration cytopathology was the diagnostic tool.

Results: The maximum numbers of patients belonged to 21 to 40 years (67.97%). The left sided palpable breast lump was frequently involved (42.59%). Lump size ≤5 cm was found more (68.27%). The frequent cytological diagnosis was breast abscess (57.40%) among which pyogenic was (56.49%). The tuberculosis was diagnosed in 1.81%. Idiopathic lobular mastitis was 0.90%, whereas lymphocytic mastitis and plasma cell mastitis were each 1.20 %.

The histopathology examination was appreciated in 3.6% cases. The concordance was found more in abscess 33.33%. 

Conclusion: Benign breast lesions mimicking breast carcinoma should be differentiated. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC)  is a useful diagnostic tool. It should be considered as the initial investigation for inflammatory breast lesions along with ancillary radiological investigations and possibly histopathology. There is a need for an increased awareness of these  disease entities, so that prompt and correct line of management can be opted.