Benign breast lesions in Eastern Nigeria

Area of Science:

• Pathology
• Oncology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Benign breast diseases (BBDs) are prevalent globally, with varying epidemiological patterns across different regions.
• Understanding the demographic distribution and common types of BBDs is crucial for baseline data and clinical management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the spectrum of benign breast diseases in Eastern Nigeria.
• To determine the age distribution of these lesions.
• To provide baseline data for comparison with other regions.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 722 benign breast specimens out of 1050 total breast samples.
• Specimens were collected from the Department of Morbid Anatomy, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.
• Data were analyzed over a 5-year period (January 2000 - December 2004).

Main Results:

• Benign breast lesions constituted 68.8% of all breast specimens analyzed.
• Fibroadenoma was the most common BBD (44%), with a mean age of 16-32 years.
• Fibrocystic changes (22.9%) and normal breast tissue in the axillary tail (4.4%) were also significant findings.

Conclusions:

• Benign breast lesions are more common than malignant ones in Eastern Nigeria (ratio 2.3:1) and present approximately 20 years earlier.
• Fibroadenoma is the predominant benign lesion, followed by fibrocystic disease, aligning with Western Nigerian data.
• Regional variations exist, with fibrocystic disease being more common in Northern Nigeria.