Analysis of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in Diagnosing the Patients with Breast Lump: A Prospective Study

Background: Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) is an important tool for triple assessment (clinical examination, imaging, FNAC) of palpable breast lumps. The place where nature of breast lump is difficult to determine by clinical examination FNAC has its role. Aim: To determine the importance of FNAC and correlate it with clinical diagnosis to identify the types of benign breast diseases and their clinical presentation. Methods: 102 women presenting with the complaints of breast pain and lump were included in the study for a period of 6 months followed by physical examination and FNAC. Results: The highest incidence of age group was found between 15-25 years,The most affected side of breast is right side 62 (60.7%),The most patients affected with upper quadrant of breast with 48 patients (47.058%), The most patients with signs and symptoms of lump in the breast of 40 patients (39.215%) On clinical diagnosis 58 patients accounted with fibroadenoma but upon FNAC only 44 were diagnosed with fibroadenoma followed by fibroadenosis, breast abscess, Intraductal papilloma. Conclusion: The fine needle aspiration cytology is an essential and important test in diagnosing and managing a patient presenting with lump breast. It is easy to perform, more reliable, repeatable and a simple test to diagnose patient presenting with lump breast.