Comparison of Benign and Malignant Breast Lumps in Women Aged 25–50 Years: A Clinical, Radiological and Histopathological Study

Background: Breast lumps are a common clinical presentation among women and include a broad spectrum of benign and malignant lesions. Accurate differentiation is essential for timely management and avoidance of unnecessary interventions.

Objective: To compare the clinical, radiological, and histopathological characteristics of benign and malignant breast lumps among women aged 25–50 years.

Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study included 106 women aged 25–50 years presenting with palpable breast lumps at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi, from January 2025 to June 2026. Patients underwent clinical assessment, imaging, and histopathological evaluation. Associations between clinical variables and malignancy were assessed using appropriate statistical tests, with p<0.05 considered significant.

Results: Of 106 patients, 96 (90.57%) had benign and 10 (9.43%) had malignant lesions. Fibroadenoma was the most common diagnosis (65.09%), while invasive ductal carcinoma accounted for all malignant cases. Malignancy was significantly associated with older age, shorter lactation, irregular/postmenopausal menstrual status, family history of breast cancer, hormonal therapy, larger lump size, longer symptom duration, nipple discharge, skin changes, fixation, hard consistency, and palpable axillary lymph nodes. All malignant lesions were classified as BI-RADS 4 or 5. Hard consistency demonstrated 100% sensitivity, 97.92% specificity, and 98.11% diagnostic accuracy for predicting malignancy.

Conclusion: Most breast lumps in women aged 25–50 years were benign. Older age and specific clinical and imaging features strongly indicated malignancy, emphasizing the importance of systematic clinical, radiological, and histopathological assessment for early diagnosis and appropriate management.