Non-Neoplastic Breast Lesions in an Adult Female Population in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria
Main Article Content
Abstract
Introduction: Non-neoplastic breast lesions are common in adult females, causing significant anxiety and concern. These lesions can be radiologic and clinical mimics of breast cancer, therefore making accurate histological diagnosis crucial to exclude malignancy and inform management decisions. The aim of this study was to To analyse the spectrum of non-neoplastic breast lesions in female adults, exploring age-related patterns and diagnostic methods.
Methods: A retrospective descriptive study of 378 adult female patients with non-neoplastic breast lesions who underwent histopathological evaluation at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital between 2013 and 2022.
Results: Fibrocystic change was the most prevalent diagnosis (69.6%), which was more prevalent in women aged 20-50 years. Chronic non-specific mastitis (5.4%) and breast abscesses (3.1%) were also seen. Atypical ductal hyperplasia (1.3%) was also seen and was more prevalent in women aged 40-59 years. Excisional biopsies were the preferred diagnostic method (91.5%).
Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of recognizing non-neoplastic breast lesions, particularly fibrocystic changes, and optimizing diagnostic approaches. Targeted surveillance for atypical ductal hyperplasia and prompt treatment of inflammatory conditions can improve patient outcomes.
Downloads
Article Details
Issue
Section

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
Tortora GJ, Derrickson B. Principles of Anatomy & Physiology. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons; 2011.
Cleveland Clinic. Benign breast disease [Internet]. 2014. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/6270-benign-breast-disease
Guray M, Aysegul AS. Benign Breast Diseases: Classification, Diagnosis, and Management. Oncologist. 2006 May;11(5):435-449. doi: 10.1634/theoncologist 11-5-435.
Susan G. Komen. Benign breast conditions [Internet]. 2019 [cited date not provided]. Available from: https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/BenignConditions.html
Berg WA, Birdwell RL. Diagnostic Imaging: Breast. 2nd ed. Salt Lake City, UT: Amirsys; 2013.
Montgomery M, McGreal G, Daly M, et al. The psychological impact of benign breast biopsy. Breast J. 2005;11(5):333-339. doi: 10.1111/j.1075-122X.2005.21554.x. PMID: 16174150.
Hinkle JL, Cheever KH. Brunner & Suddarth’s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing. New Delhi: Wolters Kluwer; 2014.
Chen YY, Fang WH, Wang CC, Kao TW, Chang YW, Yang HF, et al. Examining the Associations among Fibrocystic Breast Change, Total Lean Mass, and Percent Body Fat. Sci Rep. 2018 Jun 15; 8(1):9180. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-27572-w.
Dixon JM. Breast infections. BMJ. 2018;362:k3291.
Ugbem TI, Adekanye AG, Udosen JE, Akpan S. Tuberculosis of the breast: A case report in a tertiary health institution, South-South Nigeria. Calabar J Health Sci. 2023;7:47-9.
Bhakti D, Farah JM. Spectrum of Benign Breast Lesions in Females of Age Group 11-60 Years – A Hospital-Based Study. Saudi J Pathol Microbiol. 2019;4(11):861-7.
Edegbe FO, Uzoigwe JC, Ndukwe CO, Nwachukwu AA, Ugwu NI, Nnachi OC, Agada UN, Nnadozie UU. Pattern of Benign Breast Diseases in Abakaliki, South Eastern Nigeria: A 5-Year Retrospective Study. Niger J Med. 2022;31(5):540-543. doi: 10.4103/NJM.NJM_60_22.
Imam MM, Solomon R, Yusuf I. Benign tumours of the breast in Kano, Northern Nigeria: A 10-year experience and review of literature. Sahel Med J. 2016; 19(3): 137-141.
Clark HR, Merchant KA, Omar LA, Compton LM, Hayes JC. Breast Lesions in Women Aged Younger than 30 Years: Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management. J Breast Imaging. 2020 Feb 4;2(1):72-80. doi: 10.1093/jbi/wbz086. PMID: 38425001.
Down S. Fibrocystic Changes, Fibroadenoma, Papillary Lesions and Duct Ectasia. Atlas of Diagnosis and Management of Breast Diseases. 2025:83-92.
Kumar V, Abbas AK, Aster JC. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. Elsevier; 2020.
Nori W, Zghair M, Abdulqader S, Jaber R. Mastalgia in Fibrocystic Changes: From the Diagnosis Bench to Innovative Therapy: A Narrative Review. Open Med Chem J. 2025;19: e18741045371715.
Salih ZM. Fibrocystic Disease and Duct Ectasia of the Breast: Similarities and Differences. J Neonatal Surg [Internet]. 2025 May 23 [cited 2025 Jun 4]; 14(27S):216-22.
Ameen F, Reda SA, El-Shatoury SA, Riad EM, Enany ME, Alarfaj AA. Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant mastitis pathogens in dairy cows in Egypt and potential biological control agents produced from plant endophytic actinobacteria. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2019 Nov; 26(7):1492-1498.
Bharat A, et al. Mastitis and breast abscesses in the United States. J Surg Res. 2015;198(2):277-283.
Irshad A, et al. Breast infections in developing countries. Journal of Infection and Public Health. 2017;10(3):261-266.
Donaldson AR, McCarthy C, Goraya S, Pederson HJ, Sturgis CD, Grobmyer SR, Calhoun BC. Breast cancer risk associated with atypical hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ initially diagnosed on core-needle biopsy. Cancer. 2018 Feb 1;124(3):459-465.
Myers DJ, Walls AL. Atypical Breast Hyperplasia. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan. PMID: 29261937.
Komenaka IK, et al. Excisional biopsy for breast lesions. J Surg Res. 2014.
Youk JH, et al. Core needle biopsy of the breast: A review of the literature. J Breast Cancer. 2019
Lee SH, et al. Comparison of core needle biopsy and surgical excision for breast lesions. Eur J Radiol. 2020.