| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2015 | Volume
: 22
| Issue : 2 | Page : 96-100 |
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Clinical presentation and causes of the delayed diagnosis of breast cancer in patients with pregnancy associated breast cancer
Ali M Al-Amri
Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology, College of Medicine, University of Dammam, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Ali M Al-Amri
Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar 31952, P.O. Box 40182
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/2230-8229.155383
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Objective: The objective was to assess the clinical presentation, delay of diagnosis, and the causes of delay in the diagnosis of patients with pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) and patients with non-PABC. Patients and Methods: This was a face-to-face interview with women who had histologically confirmed BC. All respondents were interviewed at our hospital. Results: We interviewed 56 patients, 36 with non-PABC and 20 with PABC. Of the 20 patients with PABC, BC was diagnosed in 12 (60%) during pregnancy and 8 (40%) during postpartum. 18 of the patients (90%) with PABC presented mainly with a mass 3 (15%) with pain and ulcer, 5 (25%) with skin redness and thickening, 6 (30%) with nipple retraction and 4 (20%) with discharge 12 (60%) patients with PABC had delayed diagnosis and 8 (40%) of this delay was due to physicians' reassurance, and 2 (10%) because of fear of cancer. Similarly, 35 (97%) patients with non-PABC presented with breast mass, 3 (8.3%) with infrequent pain 4 (11.11%) with inflammation 2 (5.55%) with ulcer 2 (5.55%) with nipple discharge and4 (11.11%) with thickening of the skin compared with PABC patients. Only 4 (11.11%) in non-PABC had delayed diagnosis, and for half of them the delay was due to the fear of cancer. Two patients with PABC and non-PABC were afraid of cancer 16.66% and 5.55%, respectively. However, 8 (60%) of patients with PABC had delayed diagnosis compared to 0% of patients with non-PABC. Conclusion: In this study, the majority of patients with PABC or non-PABC presented with a breast lump. Other symptoms were more common in patients with PABC than in patients with non-PABC. An increased awareness of clinicians may help reduce delay in the diagnosis of patients with PABC. |
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