CHARACTERIZATION OF BREAST LESIONS SEEN DURING MAMMOGRAPHY AT UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA TEACHING HOSPITAL ENUGU

ABSTRACT

This research was carried out to characterize the variety of the breast lesion seen during mammography at UNTH and to establish the age distribution of the lesion at the time of presentation. There were 139 females and 3 male patients. Excisional biopsies were carried out on 94 patients while 11 patients had incisional Mammography biopsy . Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) Mammography biopsy  was carried out on 74 patients in combination with excisional or incisional biopsies and was used alone on 18 patients. Tru-cut Mammography biopsy  was used for the diagnosis of 19 patients.   Fifty-six patients (39.4%) had malignant lesions while 86 patients (60.6%) had benign lesions. These findings suggest that a clinical impression of malignancy  report are sufficiently reliable to warrant proceeding to definitive treatment.
The above findings  shows that variety of breast lesion is seen in our locality and all hand should be on deck to ensure that its incidence death rate is reduced.

 

CHARACTERIZATION OF BREAST LESIONS SEEN DURING MAMMOGRAPHY AT UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA TEACHING HOSPITAL ENUGU

 

CHAPTER ONE

    INTRODUCTION

Cancer can be defined as an abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cell in any part of the body.  Breast cancer is a cancer that affects the breast. The vast majority of breast cancer occurs in women, although man can develop breast cancer too but it is prognosis is rare. A breast tumuor is considered as benign if it is limited to a few cell layers and does not invade surrounding tissue or organs. When the tumour spread to the surrounding tissue or organs, it is considered as malignant¹.

Cancer of the breast is the commonest female malignancies in Nigeria ^1,2,3,4.  It is the leading cause of cancer related death⁵ and account for almost one in every five of all cancer related death among women⁶.  There are widely used effective screening techniques that enhance early detection of breast cancer. These screening techniques include mammography, MRI, thermography and radionuclide imaging⁴.

Mammography though with its limitations has remained the best and most reliable procedure for early breast cancer detection, this is due to its availability and cost. Mammography is the soft tissue examination of the breast.  The invention of these techniques has actually simulated application of other procedures to breast lesion detection. These screening techniques detect the early stage of breast cancer, that pre-invasive stage, the symptom free stage, the carcinoma-in situ and the curable stage of breast cancer. Breast lesions are dreadful only when the detection and treatment is late^3.

Radiographer and radiologist are expected to be familiar with the mammographic appearance of a variety of unusual breast lesions⁷.  These lesions include systemic diseased e.g. collagen vascular disease, vasculitis, hyperparathyroidism, stectocystoma multiplex, rare benign tumor (e.g. fibromatosis, extra-abdominal desmoids tumour, granular cell tumour) hamartoma (Fibrroadenolipoma), phyllode tumour (cystosarcoma phyilodes), uncommon primary malignant tumors (e.g. lymphoma, sarcoma and carcinosarcoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma), and metastatic lesions.

The most common breast problems for which women and few men consult a physician are breast pain, nipple discharge and palpable mass⁸.  Breast lesions seen in mammography include lumps, benign tumor, and malignant (metastasis) tumor.

Breast carcinoma is very dreadful disease, therefore there is need that it should be detected at an earlier stage when it prognosis are still high.

There has not been any work in our locality on characterization of breast lesion seen on mammo hence, this research intends to characterize and comprehensively document the breast lesions that are seen in our locality and the age of presentation.  This will help in selecting the most appropriate treatment option for the lesions.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

It has been observed that variety of breast lesions seen in mammography at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu have not be characterized and comprehensively documented.

The age distribution at the time of presentation of the breast lesions has not been documented in our locality.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

• To characterize the breast lesions seen during mammography at UNTH
• To determine the age distribution of lesions at the time of presentation
• To assess the accuracy, complications and cost effectiveness of the various techniques of breast biopsies carried out at UNTH, Enugu over a one-year period.
• To analyze the result of such biopsies with a view to determining the relative frequency and types of benign and malignant breast lesions seen in our center.
• To determine the extent to which needle Mammography biopsy techniques can be safe and reliable alternatives to open biopsy in our center. .

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The research would be of immense help to clinicians and surgeons, in assessing the common lesions seen in our locality.

It will help the clinicians in selecting the most appropriate diagnostic options for suspected breast lesion.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study cover patient in University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, who have undergone mammography.

CHARACTERIZATION OF BREAST LESIONS SEEN DURING MAMMOGRAPHY AT UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA TEACHING HOSPITAL ENUGU

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