Breast tuberculosis in Northeast Iran: review of 22 cases

BACKGROUND Breast tuberculosis (breast TB) is an extremely rare disease, so case reviews are also rare. METHODS This study is a retrospective review of patients with breast TB who were treated between 2002 and 2012 at the Health Center of Gorgan City. RESULTS All 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%). CONCLUSIONS The 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.