Clinicopathological profile of breast lesions and their management in paediatric patients seen in a tertiary health facility in Southern Nigeria

Abstract

IntroductionBreast diseases are less common in the paediatric age group than in adults. Accordingly,less attention has been given to this group of diseases. Hence there is not enoughliterature on so many aspects including pathology,diagnosis, treatment and outcome.Commonly, surgeons and researchers apply the same principles deployed for adults.Aims and ObjectivesTo evaluate the clinical and pathological pattern of paediatric breast diseases seen inour centre, and to review their treatment.MethodsThis is a four year retrospective review of cases of breast diseases seen in patientswho are of age 18 years and less in our centre from July 2015 to May 2019. The dataextracted were age, gender, clinical features, clinical diagnosis, laterality of breastlesion, treatment offered, histological diagnosis. The data were collated and analyzedusing the SPSS 17.0ResultsOne hundred and ninety one cases were analyzed. They comprised 29(15%) males and162(85%) females giving a male female ratio of 1:6. The breast lesions were in the rightbreast in 84(44%) cases, in the left breast in 75(39.3%) cases and bilateral in 32(16.7%)cases. Breast lumps were the commonest clinical presentation, and fibroadenoma andfibroadenosis constituted 79.2% of cases. There were no malignant lesions.ConclusionBreast lesions are not uncommon among our paediatric patients. The majority of thelesions presented as breast lump in the teenage years. Fibroadenoma and fibroadenosisare the commonest breast lesions and malignant lesions were not encountered. Lessinvasive methods of diagnosis and treatment are recommended.Key words: Breast–Lesions–Paediatric–Profile–Management