Breast tuberculosis: a report of five cases

• Published in: Tropical medicine and health 2017-12, Vol.45 (1), p.40-3, Article 40
• Main Authors: Efared, Boubacar, Sidibé, Ibrahim S, Erregad, Fatimazahra, Hammas, Nawal, Chbani, Laila, El Fatemi, Hinde
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abscesses; Biopsy; Breast; Case Report; Caseous necrosis; Disease; Endemic; Granulomas; Lumpectomy; Lymphatic system; Morocco; Pathology; Patients; Polymerase chain reaction; Tuberculosis
• ISSN: 1348-8945; 1349-4147; 1349-4147
• DOI: 10.1186/s41182-017-0081-6

Breast tuberculosis is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis with clinical and radiological misleading presentations. We report herein a retrospective study of clinicopathological features of five cases of breast tuberculosis collected at Hassan II University Hospital of Fès, Morocco, a country where tuberculosis is endemic. The mean age was 40.6 years (range of 21-59 years). Two patients presented with abscessed lesions, and three cases presented with breast lumps with a suspicion of malignancy on imaging techniques. The diagnosis has been made on histological specimens (3 biopsy specimens, 1 excisional biopsy, and 1 lumpectomy). All patients have been successfully treated after the completion of the standard antibiotherapy. Our current study shows that the breast is rarely affected by tuberculosis even in endemic area. The clinical presentation is often misleading, and the histopathological analysis constitutes a valuable diagnostic tool. The prognosis of breast tuberculosis is good after treatment by a standard antibiotherapy.