FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY OF BREAST LUMP IN T.U. TEACHING HOSPITAL

Abstract

This is a retrospective study of fine needle aspiration cytology of breast lesions
performed between May 1998 and April 2000. During this period, a total of 2001 fine
needle aspirations were done in the Tribhuvan Universtiy Teaching Hospital (TUTH),
of which 470 (23.48 %) were of the breast. Fibrocystic disease found to be the most
frequent and was diagnosed in 183 cases (38.9%). Fibroadenoma was the third common
pathological condition, numbering 61 (12.9%). Malignant conditions of the breast
were 72 cases (15.3%).
During these two years, histological diagnosis was available in 154 cases. Histological
examination revealed benign conditions in 74 cases (48%), malignancy in 59 cases
(38.3%) and inflammatory & lactational changes in 21 cases (13.7%). Out of these
154 cases, 71 cases had also undergone fine needle aspiration cytology. The 36 cases
diagnosed as benign cytologically, 34 cases were also benign histologically, whereas 2
cases turned out to be malignant. Out of 37 cases that were histologically malignant,
on cytology 35 cases were diagnosed as malignant. The sensitivity and specificity of
cytopathological diagnosis for breast lesions was 100% and 94.6% respectively.
Inflammatory lesions correlated well cytologically and histolgically.
FNAC is a safe and rapid diagnostic method for evaluation of various lesions. However,
there are possibilities of false negative and false positive results because of wide range
of appearance of breast lesions.

Key Words: Breast lumps, Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology, Benign Lesions,
Malignant Lesions, Histopathology and Correlation.