Abstract
Background and Objectives: Presence of mass and pain in breast could be a serious source of stress and anxiety, primarily due to the assumption of a malignant underlying pathology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the histological diagnosis in one hundred painful breast masses.
Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional setting, 100 patients with painful breast lumps, 98 females and 2 males with mean age of 37.86±8.79 (18-66) years, were enrolled. They were referred to Tabriz Imam Hospital and private pathology laboratories during a 12-month period. The effect of age on final diagnosis was also assessed.
Results: Among one hundred patients, pain was constant in 59 cases, fluctuating in 41 and severe in 4 cases. The right, left and bilateral involvement was seen in 53, 40 and 7 cases, respectively. Eighty four patients had benign histological findings, whereas 16 cases had malignant pathology. The benign pathologies consisted of fibrocystic disease (50 cases), fibroadenoma (30 cases), abscess (2 cases) and gynecomastia (2 males). All malignancies were ductal carcinoma type. The sensitivity and specificity of a painful lump in prediction of a malignant disease were respectively 31% and 69% in patients older than 40 years.
Conclusion: This study showed that the age of patients is a key determinant of the pathological process underlying a painful breast lump. Majority of the patients with a painful breast mass would ultimately have a benign diagnosis, especially in younger ages; however they should be thoroughly evaluated.