BREAST CANCER RISK IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST PAIN IN ACCRA, GHANA

Objective: To determine the risk of breast cancer in patients presenting with breast pain in Accra,Ghana.Design: Retrospective clinical study.Setting: A self-referral breast clinic in Accra, Ghana.Subjects: Patients with breast pain as a presenting complaint, between January 2001 and December2005.Interventions: Patients were investigated by triple assessment.Results: There were 447 patients with pain, 322 as the only symptom and 125 in addition to othersymptoms like breast lump and nipple discharge. Patients with pain only were found to have nodetectable abnormality 203 (63%) and fibroadenosis 78 (24.2%) as the most common diagnoses.Breast cancer was found in four (1.24%) of them, all of whom had abnormality on clinical breastexamination. In patients with pain as well as other symptoms the common diagnoses werefibroadenosis 25 (20%), breast cancer 20 (16%) and normal 18 (14.4%).Conclusion: The risk of breast cancer is significantly higher in patients presenting with breast painin addition to other symptoms, compared to patients with breast pain as the only symptom (16%and 1.24% respectively P<0.0001). Patients with breast pain should always have breast examinationand not simply reassured. Women should be encouraged to do breast self examination

Breast cancer risk in patients with breast pain in Accra, Ghana

No Abstract. East African Medical Journal Vol. 84 (5) 2007: pp. 215-21