Abstract

The majority of breast tumors are benign. Some of these tumors carry risk that change into cancer. So, it is important to know the different histopathological patterns of the benign breast lesions. This will help in the proper diagnosis of the lesion and build up of potent programs against the cancer. This research classifies benign breast diseases according to their frequency in Red Sea State, Sudan and compares them to the age and sex of the patients. Six hundred and eighty-nine specimens were examined in the period from December 2005 to October 2010 in a histopathological laboratory in the Red Sea Medical center, Portsudan, Sudan. This is the only regional laboratory, to which surgical biopsies and fine needle aspiration cytology were sent. For the histopathological specimens, only Haematoxylin and Eosin (H & E) staining was done. Slides of the fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) were stained by Papanicolaou and May-Grunewald Giemsa (MGG) stains. Five hundred and sixty-seven breast specimens out of the 689 were proved to be benign in nature. The commonest type of benign breast tumor in Red Sea State was fibrocystic disease of the breast (39.3%), followed by Fibroadenoma (30.2%). Acute mastitis came next (in the order of frequency) to above breast lesions (5.8%). The fourth common benign breast disease was benign phyllodes tumor (5.7%). The commonest age of presentation was between 20 to 29 years. On other hand, malignant tumors most commonly appear at the age between 40 to 49 years. In this study, 680 of the cases were females and nine cases were males. Benign breast tumors were more common compared to malignant breast tumors with a ratio of 4.6:1. Fibrocystic disease of the breast was the commonest benign breast lesion in Red Sea State. Benign breast lesions are commonly present in the early adult age group (20 to 29 years) (45%), whereas malignant breast lesions commonly appear at age between 40 to 49 years (31.9%). At least, FNAC before surgery or histopathological study after surgery should be done to any lady complaining of a palpable breast mass in our region.

Key words: Breast, benign, tumors, Portsudan.