BREAST NIPPLE DISCHARGE, PRESENTATION, CURRENT MANAGEMENT, PROSPECTIVE STUDY FROM 2019 TO 2023

Abstract

Nipple discharge, or the outflow of fluid from the breast nipple, is a typical symptom that many women experiences, including pain and anxiety, and it is often the first complaint patients have when seeking medical attention. It is possible for nipple discharge to be the first sign of breast cancer. Patients & methods Conducting a prospective study from July 2019 to July 2023, the researchers followed 258 hospital patients. Participants were all female. Nipple discharge was the primary complaint of every patient who was part of our research. All patients underwent a comprehensive evaluation that included a clinical examination, mammography, ultrasound, and cytology. Patients who arrived with nipple discharge and a suspected breast lump were eventually subjected to fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and a conclusive histological investigation. Result Nipple discharge was most commonly reported by women in the 30–39 age range (32.5%), with bloody nipple discharge accounting for 40.8% of all cases. Abnormal nipple discharge is more prevalent in benign breast illnesses compared to malignant ones (40.8%). A high percentage of malignant breast illnesses (79.1%) could be accurately diagnosed by direct cytology from nipple discharge. With a success rate of 100%, histology was the gold standard for diagnosing malignant breast illnesses; FNAC ranked second with 78.5%. Conclusions Neglecting nipple discharge, especially if it is bloody or purulent in nature, might lead to the misdiagnosis of benign or malignant breast illnesses. It is possible to diagnose breast cancer with high accuracy using direct cytology from nipple discharge. For malignant breast illnesses, histopathology provides a definitive diagnosis when a mass is present. Aim: was to identify the most prevalent symptoms of nipple discharge in women with advanced breast cancer, as well as the ages at which these symptoms first appeared, and to establish a connection between nipple discharge and this lesion. Reasons why nipple discharge evaluation is crucial for diagnosing and ruling out breast cancer.