Tuberculous breast lumps: a retrospective clinico-pathological study

ABSTRACT

A retrospective study of 11 patients with tuberculous breast lumps was conducted, with special attention to the diagnostic problem. All were females ranging in age from 20 to 57 years. The tuberculous nature was suggested clinically in 2 cases while in 9 cases, the initial diagnosis was a suspected carcinoma. The histopathological examination diagnosed the breast lump to be tuberculous in the 11 cases. In 9 cases with enlarged ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes, these were proved tuberculous on pathological examination. However, demonstration of the tubercle bacilli in the histologic sections was possible in only 2 out of the 9 lymph node specimens and in none of the 11 breast lumps. The bacteriologic confirmation through culture was positive in 6 cases, ngeative in 3 cases and could not be done in 2 eases. The results emphasize the importance of clinical awareness that tuberculosis can be a cause of a breast lump and the reliability of the histopathological diagnosis of tuberculosis particularly the demonstration of caseation. In all cases, satisfactory treatment was achieved by antituberculous drugs. The role of surgery was limited to complete excision of the breast lump and biopsying the enlarged axillary lymph nodes