Clinico-pathological study of breast carcinoma: A prospective two-year study in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in female, both in developed and developing regions, and ranks second overall next only to lung cancers. International variation in both incidence and mortality is one of the most striking features of breast cancer. Aims: To assess the clinical profile of the patients of breast carcinoma as well as relevant macroscopic and microscopic features of the mastectomy specimens. Materials and Methods: The present prospective study was carried out on clinically suspected and pre-operative FNAC-confirmed 120 cases of breast carcinoma who were admitted in the department of surgery for mastectomy during the study period of two years. In addition to relevant clinical features, macroscopic and microscopic features of mastectomy specimens were noted. Results: Mean age of the study population was 46.53 years. Most of the patients presented with breast lump with or without other features. Mean tumor size in the study population was 5.91 cm with standard deviation 2.59. Most of the cases (90.8%; 109 cases out of 120 cases) were diagnosed as IDC, NOS (Infiltrating ductal carcinoma, not otherwise specified). Mostly (62 cases; 51.7%), we got the histological grade 3 tumors. Lympho-vascular invasion was identified in 25.8% cases (31 cases out of 120 cases). Skin and nipple areola was involved in 15.0% cases (18 cases). Conclusion: IDC, NOS is the most common histologic type of breast cancer in our study population. Most commonly affected age group by breast cancer is 35-50 years. In most of the cases, size of the mass was more than 5 cm involving multiple quadrants of breast and with positive lymph nodes. Histologically, grade 3 tumor is most prevalent in this population.