Breast tuberculosis in Northeast Iran: review of 22 cases

Abstract

BackgroundBreast tuberculosis (breast TB) is an extremely rare disease, so case reviews are also rare.MethodsThis study is a retrospective review of patients with breast TB who were treated between 2002 and 2012 at the Health Center of Gorgan City.ResultsAll 22 patients were females, their mean age was 32.4 years, and all were new cases. Patients presented with swelling of the breast (22%), lump (55%) and excretion from the involved breast (27%), and breast pain (55%). The highest rate of breast TB occurred in 2011 (27%). All patients received the DOTS regimen for a mean duration of 7.3 ± 0.7 months; in addition, segmental resection was performed on 11 patients (50%).ConclusionsThe findings confirmed that breast TB in Iran should be considered as a differential diagnosis of breast masses. All patients in our study received the daily and ‘Directly Observed Treatment Short-course’ (DOTS) regimens. Anti-tubercular therapy for six months with or without minimal surgical intervention currently is the main treatment.

Two cases of breast tuberculosis

“…4 In our study both the patients were in the reproductive age but not lactating. The first was a nurse and may have been exposed to patients of TB, the second did not give history of TB contact.…”

“…Simple mastectomy is used for cases with extensive disease that causes a large, painful, ulcerated mass that involves the entire breast. 4 The second patient had been advised this surgery, which was the reason why she came in distress to this hospital for a second opinion. The discharging…”

“…4 In the second case, since she was responding slowly, we continued antituberculous therapy till she responded totally. Surgical intervention is indicated in cases that show poor response to anti TB therapy and it is used mainly to drain abscesses or the excision of residual lumps.…”

“…Culture or PCR is not very sensitive and this may cause some additional delays and under diagnosis. 4 In the present study the diagnostic tool used was histopathology following lumpectomy.…”

Primary Breast Tuberculosis: A Case Study

“…На сегодняш-ний день, по данным литературы, в эндемич-ных районах (таких как Индия и Восточная Азия) частота туберкулеза МЖ составляет 4%, в странах Западной Европы -приблизительно 0,1% [3]. По отношению к РМЖ туберкулезное поражение составляет от 1:171 до 1:33 [4,5]. Туберкулезный мастит составил от 0,13 до 1,6% всех заболеваний МЖ и до 3% всех хирургиче-ских вмешательств на МЖ.…”