Breast tuberculosis: a case series.
Breast disease
Granulomatosis
Tuberculosis
Journal
Journal of medical case reports
ISSN: 1752-1947
Titre abrégé: J Med Case Rep
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101293382
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
20 Feb 2021
20 Feb 2021
Historique:
received:
06
05
2019
accepted:
21
12
2020
entrez:
20
2
2021
pubmed:
21
2
2021
medline:
15
5
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Breast tuberculosis is a rare disease, even in endemic areas. The diagnosis can be challenging, as it can mimic breast cancer. We aim to report our experience and discuss diagnoses and management modalities. We encountered twelve cases of breast tuberculosis in our institution from 2004 to 2019. The average age of our Caucasian North African patients was 42 years old (22-63). The classic presentation was a breast lump found in half of the cases. On physical examination, we suspected breast carcinoma in seven patients. The average size of the tumors was 39 mm (15-80 mm). Nine patients had a mammogram. In five cases, there was a suspicious breast mass mimicking a malignant tumor with an average size of 33 mm (25-60 mm). A ultrasonography was performed in 6 cases and revealed a suspicious ill-circumscribed nodule in four patients with an average size of 37.5 mm (10-60 mm). Five patients had a lumpectomy, and seven women underwent drainage of the abscess and the biopsy of its hull. The association of epithelioid cell granulomas and caseous necrosis was mandatory for the histological diagnosis of tuberculosis. All of them had an antitubercular therapy. The median period of follow-up was of 43 months (3-156 months). One patient presented with a recurrent abscess of the breast. Our study found that clinical examination and radiological imaging were not specific. Positive cultures for Koch bacillus or histological confirmation are mandatory for the diagnosis. A meta-analysis of the existing cases is needed.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND AND AIM
OBJECTIVE
Breast tuberculosis is a rare disease, even in endemic areas. The diagnosis can be challenging, as it can mimic breast cancer. We aim to report our experience and discuss diagnoses and management modalities.
RESULTS
RESULTS
We encountered twelve cases of breast tuberculosis in our institution from 2004 to 2019. The average age of our Caucasian North African patients was 42 years old (22-63). The classic presentation was a breast lump found in half of the cases. On physical examination, we suspected breast carcinoma in seven patients. The average size of the tumors was 39 mm (15-80 mm). Nine patients had a mammogram. In five cases, there was a suspicious breast mass mimicking a malignant tumor with an average size of 33 mm (25-60 mm). A ultrasonography was performed in 6 cases and revealed a suspicious ill-circumscribed nodule in four patients with an average size of 37.5 mm (10-60 mm). Five patients had a lumpectomy, and seven women underwent drainage of the abscess and the biopsy of its hull. The association of epithelioid cell granulomas and caseous necrosis was mandatory for the histological diagnosis of tuberculosis. All of them had an antitubercular therapy. The median period of follow-up was of 43 months (3-156 months). One patient presented with a recurrent abscess of the breast.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Our study found that clinical examination and radiological imaging were not specific. Positive cultures for Koch bacillus or histological confirmation are mandatory for the diagnosis. A meta-analysis of the existing cases is needed.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33608057
doi: 10.1186/s13256-020-02646-9
pii: 10.1186/s13256-020-02646-9
pmc: PMC7896393
doi:
Substances chimiques
Antitubercular Agents
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Meta-Analysis
Case Reports
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
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