HISTOPATHOLOGIC PATTERN OF BENIGN BREAST DISEASES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT TEACHING HOSPITAL, PORT HARCOURT A FIVE YEAR RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW (2007-2011)

Abstract

Objective: This is a five (5) year (1st January 2007- 31st December 2011) retrospective
study carried out by the author at the Anatomic Pathology department of UPTH to
determine the frequencies and the histologic pattern of Benign Breast Diseases (BBDs)
among patients with breast lesions in Port Harcourt.
Materials and methods: The Department of Anatomical Pathology of University of Port
Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) received a total of 842 breast biopsies within the
study period. One hundred and sixty three (19.4%) of these were diagnosed as breast
cancers while six hundred and seventy nine (80.6%) were diagnosed as Benign Breast
Diseases (BBDs). Histology slides were either retrieved from departmental files or recut
from the original tissue blocks and studied with light microscope. Data entry, validation
and analysis were done using SPSS version 16. Simple frequencies of histopathological
types, categories of BBDs and their age groups were presented in tables and figures.
Results: The age of the patients ranged from 12 to 82 years. Peak age of incidence
was in the 3rd decade. Fibroadenoma was the commonest lesion. Other lesions seen
are fibrocystic change, sclerosing adenosis, tubular adenosis, atypical hyperplasia, fat
necrosis, chronic nonspecific mastitis, granulomatous mastitis and lactating adenoma.
Conclusion: BBDs constituted 80.6% of breast lumps and fibroadenoma was the
commonest lesion. BBDs occurred predominantly in young females with a peak in the
third decade. Premalignant lesions of atypical hyperplasia were less commonly seen.
KEY WORDS: Benign, Benign breast diseases, Fibroadenoma, fibrocystic change,
malignancies.
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AIM AND OBJECTIVES
1. To determine the frequency of Benign Breast Diseases seen in the University of
Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
2. To describe the histopathologic pattern of Benign Breast Diseases seen in the
Department of Anatomic Pathology of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching
Hospital.
3. To compare the findings of this study with previous studies done in Nigeria and
elsewhere.