Profile of female breast lesions in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the outline and pattern of male and female breast diseases in Saudi Arabia. METHODS The study consisted of 953 consecutive female breast biopsies and mastectomies. Information on these cases were retrieved from the records of the laboratory. Outline of breast lesions were tabulated and classified into inflammatory, benign and malignant lesions. RESULTS Benign lesions comprised 55.24% of all lesions (mean age 31.7), most commonly reported being fibroadenoma 46.9%, fibrocystic disease 23.25% and fibroadenosis 14.5%. Malignant lesion comprised 31.5% of all lesions (mean age 49.19), most commonly reported being ductal carcinoma 80% and lobular carcinoma 5.5%. Inflammatory lesions comprised of 10.1% of all lesions (mean age 29.56), most commonly reported lesion being chronic mastitis 30% and ducectasia 17.6%. CONCLUSION The rates for female breast diseases varied in different studies but benign fibroadenoma was the most common breast lesion followed by ductal carcinoma. The mean age for malignant lesions in seven different studies was 44.18 years.