Abstract

Background: The presence of a breast lump is a prevalent issue that can affect individuals of all ages, from adolescence to old age. The lump can range in severity from benign to malignant. Among the malignant tumours that affect females, breast carcinoma is a leading cause of death worldwide. An early and correct diagnosis of a breast lump is crucial for saving a person's life. In resource limited settings, managing breast lumps can be a difficult task. Materials and Methods: The results obtained from FNAC of palpable breast lumps examined at our department's FNAC from January 2020 to December 2022 were collected and compared to the findings from the excisional biopsies of the same lumps. Result: A total of 325 patients had FNAC of breast lumps during the 2 years period, among which 276 were females and 49 were males. Fine needle Aspiration cytology was performed on 325 cases, and out of these, 270 cases were received in the department for histopathological examination. Out of the total of 325 cases of fine needle aspiration, benign cases were 284 (87.38%), malignant and suspicious were 33 (10.15%) and 8 (1.54%), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the present study were 98.36%, 96.77%, 91.84%, 91.84%, and 97.27%, respectively. Conclusion: FNAC is a vital initial diagnostic test for palpable breast lumps. The results of breast FNACs are highly comparable to the histology of excisional biopsies, and when performed by an experienced pathologist, it is extremely valuable in managing breast lumps. FNAC is a safe, straightforward, and cost-effective outpatient procedure that is associated with minimal complications. When used in conjunction with histopathological correlation, it improves diagnostic accuracy, which enables physicians to make an early diagnosis and provide specific treatment, thus reducing morbidity and mortality.

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