ABSTRACT
Aim: The study was conducted with an aim to suspect and diagnose “breast tuberculosis (TB)” cases early to avoid unnecessary delay in their treatment. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, the cases of breast complaints presenting in the Department of Surgery were clinically examined, investigated with fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) or biopsy along with other relevant investigations. FNAC or biopsy positive for breast TB cases were further investigated by chest X-ray and/or sputum acid-fast bacilli for any evidence of pulmonary TB. Results: A total of 9 cases of breast TB were collected. Out of these 9 cases, 7 cases were adult females in the age group of 24-40 years. Cases 1, 2, 5, 6, and 9 were non-lactating, while Cases 3 and 7 were lactating. Case 4 was a 12-year-old girl and Case 8 was 25-year-old male. All the cases were involving the right breast except Case 5, which was involving both breasts, and Case 6, which was involving left breast. Case 5 was also having active pulmonary TB. Case 7 was showing Ziehl-Neelsen staining positive for AFB in breast tissue sample. We treated all cases with first-line four drugs (HRZE) for initial 2 months and two drugs (HR) for another 4 months except in Cases 1 and 5 where the continuation phase was extended to 6 months. Conclusion: Histopathological diagnosis is a more reliable and accurate as compared to the bacteriological diagnosis of tubercular mastitis. Four drugs therapy for 6 months is adequate. The majority of the cases will heal without major surgery, and mastectomy should be reserved for extensive breast destruction and unresponsive cases.
ABSTRACT
Aim: The study was carried out with an aim to evaluate an association of serum lipid profile with breast carcinoma and benign breast disease. Methods: For this purpose, a case-control study was planned in which a total of 105 subjects were enrolled according to a purposive sampling design - A total of 35 (33.3%) patients in each group having breast carcinoma, benign breast disease, and healthy controls were included for assessment. Lipid levels were assessed. Data were analyzed. Results: Age of subjects enrolled in the study ranged from 16 to 58 years. The mean age of subjects in malignant, benign and control group was 45.71 ± 10.04, 24.91 ± 6.83 and 35.60 ± 12.42 years, respectively. The majority of malignant cases were in advanced stage (T3 and T4), together accounted for 94.29% of total malignant cases. The remaining 2 (5.7%) cases were in T2-stage. A total of 21 (60%) cases had metastasis too. Mean triglyceride (TG) levels of malignant cases were significantly higher as compared to that of benign and healthy controls. Mean serum high density lipoproteins levels were significantly higher in benign group as compared to healthy controls. Mean serum low density lipoproteins levels were maximum in healthy controls and minimum in benign breast disease group. Statistically, the difference between healthy controls and benign breast disease was also found to be significant. Conclusion: For different lipid components, the relationship with different types of breast lesions was found to be varying. In malignant cases, TG levels showed an increased trend. The possibility of these relationships being random cannot be ignored. A larger study on larger sample size is recommended.