Postmenopausal breast tuberculosis - report of 4 cases

• Published in: Breast care (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2012, Vol.7 (5), p.411-413
• Main Authors: Bouti, Khalid, Soualhi, Mouna, Marc, Karima, Zahraoui, Rachida, Benamor, Jouda, Bourkadi, Jamal Eddine, Iraqi, Ghali
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1661-3791
• DOI: 10.1159/000343613

BACKGROUNDBreast tuberculosis is an uncommon disease even in countries where the incidence of tuberculosis is high. CASE REPORTThis is a case series concerning 4 postmenopausal breast tuberculosis cases encountered in Moulay Youssef Hospital between January 2007 and December 2010. Breast tuberculosis represents 0.25% of all hospitalized tuberculosis patients in our department. The mean age of our patients was 62.5 ± 5.8 years. Clinical findings were heterogeneous; 1 case was multifocal tuberculosis, and another case was coexistent tuberculosis and malignancy of the breast. Mammography and ultrasonography findings were suspicious for malignancy in all 4 cases. Fine needle aspiration was negative in 3 cases. The diagnosis was made in all patients by histological examination of biopsy specimens, which revealed typical tuberculous lesions. Anti-tuberculosis therapy formed the mainstay of treatment. CONCLUSIONThe clinical and radiological features of mammary tuberculosis can be very confusing and easily mistaken for breast cancer. Symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis warrant a biopsy to exclude possible cancer.