OUTCOME OF BREAST LUMPS

Introduction: Breast lumps are one of the most prevalent presenting complaints in an outpatient department ( OPD) in Pakistan. About 90% are benign and without any grave consequences but malignant lumps contribute to a consequential percentage of all breast lumps. With growing vigilance in the general population , specially about breast pathologies and the associated solicitude and stress that this condition may lead to breast cancer with grin consequences , compels patients to seek medical advice. Materials & Methods: This is a Cross sectional study performed at surgical OPD of Bahawal Victoria Hospital , Bahawalpur. Study was conducted from 15th April to 15th May 2018. A total of 95 patients were included by convenience sampling method. Data was analyzed manually and elaborated with the help of tables and charts. Conclusion: This study concludes that the frequency of breast cancer, inflammatory diseases and fibro adenoma is higher in our set up as compared to the world literature. Breast cancer was the most common disease. This maybe because the study was carried out on a small scale and limited number of cases were included and the duration was short. However the early age of diagnosis shows that there is need of breast care clinics and population screening programs to detect breast cancer as soon as possible. It is recommended that the surgeon managing a case of breast lump in a patient above 30 years should be highly suspicious and cautious so that early detection and management ofmalignant lumps be carried out.