Benign Breast Diseases in Makurdi, North Central Nigeria: A Retrospective Review of One Hundred and Thirty Five (135) Cases

Benign Breast Disease (BBDs) encompasses a diverse group of lesions that may present with a wide
range of symptoms or may be detected as incidental microscopic findings. We presented a
retrospective review of 249 cases of histopathologically diagnosed breast lesions seen at Benue State
University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, Nigeria between October, 2012 and January, 2017. BBDs
accounted for 135 (54%) of all breast biopsies seen. Fibroadenoma was the commonest histological
lesion comprising 74 (54.1%) of cases and with a peak age of incidence at 20-29 years. This was
followed by fibrocystic changes (FCCs) with 26.3% of cases and with similar peak incidence age of
20-29 years. Other less common lesions including inflammatory lesions, fibroadenoma with fibrocystic
change, fat necrosis, phylloides tumour, breast abscess, tubular adenoma, atypical hyperplasia,
granular cell tumor and gynecomastia all together accounted for the remaining 19.9%. Benign breast
diseases, a diverse group of lesions constitute the vast majority of breast lesions in Makurdi .With
increase advocacy, awareness and health education coupled with use of mammography and needle
biopsies, its diagnosis can be established.