Publication:

Profile of patients with carcinoma breast: a descriptive clinical study

Background Breast cancer is the most common site-specific cancer in women and is the leading cause of death from cancer for women age 40 to 44 years. It accounts for 33% of all female cancers and is responsible for 20% of the cancer related deaths in women.

Methods Data was collected using pre tested semi structured questionnaire after thorough clinical examination. Total sample size was 200 and these patients were selected by non-probability purposive sampling technique.

Results The most common quadrant involved was upper outer quadrant (64%) followed by upper inner quadrant (12%), lower inner quadrant (10%) and central (10%). Highest number of patients had lump size less than 3cms (48%) followed by more than 5 cms (30%). 22% of patients had lump size between 3-5 cms.

Conclusions Breast cancer is primarily a disease of the old age with the peak incidence in the fifth and sixth decades, but in India the disease is seen a decade earlier, probably because of shorter longevity of life in Indian women.