| dc.description.abstract | A total of 131 patients under 30 years of age underwent
mammographic examination during the period from January 1992
when the mammography unit at Kenyatta National Hospital
started operating, to July 1995. Of these, 20 patients were
referred from hospitals outside Kenyatta National Hospital
and·were therefore excluded from the study.
Of the 111 patients included in the study, 2 (1.8%) were
males, both who had been referred for investigation of
gynaecomastia, and the rest (98.2%) The
commonest complaint that lead to mammographic investigation
was lump (34.2%) followed by breast swelling (20.7%), breast
pain (17.1%) and breast discharge (10%). The most frequent
physical I sign was a palpable lump (46.9%) , followed by
tenderness (15.3%) and breast discharge (13.5%). 12.6% of
patients had normal physical examination findings.
58 patients (52.3%) had normal mammograms. Of the
abnormal mammograms 2 (1.8%) were suggestive of carcinoma of
the breast, and in 2 cases (1.8%), no mammographic diagnosis
was made because the breast parenchyma was too dense.
Of the 13 patients who were recommended for ultrasound
following mammography, 4 showed a solid mass while the rest
did not have the examination. 8 patients recommended for
follow up mammography did not have the examination done and 1
patient recommended for ductography showed pooling of
contrast in scar tissue. Of the 9 patients recommended for
biOPSY, only 3 were done which showed fibrocystic mastopathy,
fibroadenoma, and cystosarcoma phylloides.
30 patients (27%) had benign biOPSY findings, 2 (1.8%)
were mal ignant, 3 (2.7%) were non di agntrs-tLc _and 1 (0.9%) was
non specific (unusual cell combination). Biopsy results for
the rest of the patients could
cases of fibroadenoma was
not be obtained. Only in 2
there correlation between
mammograph ic and, hi stolog ically diagnosed.
the two cases thought to have
mammographically were not available.
90% to 95% of breast cancers
BiOPSY findings for
malignant disease
are found
themselves,
examination,
either accidentally
but mammography is the
cancer earlier(ll. The
or by
by the patients
breast self
detect breast
only method that will
value of mammography as
an investigative method for young patients has, however, been
doubted by some investigators(2,3) since these young patients
have dense breast tissue which may obscure pathology in a
mammogram, are less likely to develop breast cancer,and are
at a higher risk of radiation induced carcinogenesis. | en |
| dc.description.department | a
Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, ; bDepartment of Mental Health, School of Medicine,
Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya | |
