Breast carcinoma in Pakistani females: a morphological study of 572 breast specimens.

OBJECTIVE To study the morphological features in breast carcinoma which have proven prognostic value. METHODS AND SETTING A retrospective analysis of 572 mastectomy specimens received over a period of three years at the department of pathology, The Aga Khan University Hospital. RESULTS A total of 572 mastectomy specimens were analyzed which were received over a period of three years. Most of the patients were in the 5th and 6th decades of life. The mean age at diagnosis was 48 years. The most common tumour was infiltrating ductal carcinoma (81%). Tumour size was > 2 cms. in 80% of the cases. According to Modified Bloom and Richardson system most of the tumours were in grade II (65%) followed by grade III (24%). The number of cases with > 3 lymph node metastasis was significantly higher (70%) in tumours of > 2 cms size. High grade tumours also showed increased number of lymph node involvement. CONCLUSION In Pakistani females breast carcinoma occurs at a younger age group. They are of large size at the time of presentation and show more frequent axillary lymph node metastasis. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma is the most common type of tumour with predominance of high grade lesions.