title: Prevalence of breast cancer in women with breast complaints. Retrospective analysis in a population of symptomatic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to analyze whether any correlation exists between breast complaints and the risk of having or developing breast cancer (BC) in a population of self-selected women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of 2,561 patients was reviewed. Three age-groups were sorted out: Group A (40 years old or younger, 45.9%), Group B (41-55 years, 27.8%), and Group C (> 55 years, 26.3%). Breast pain was most common (61.0%) in Group A, and breast lump in Group C (87.8%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  BC was found in 271 (10.6%) patients. Breast pain was more frequent in patients without cancer with respect to patients with BC, both in Group B (45.8% vs. 27.9%; p = 0.039) and in Group C (9.2% vs. 1.7%; p = 0.003), but no correlation (p = NS) between BC and breast lump or nipple discharge was found in any Group. Over a median follow-up of 74 months (range 23-146 months). BC arose in 10 (0.44%) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of the women with breast complaints did not have BC, and their risk of cancer onset was not dissimilar to that reported for the general population.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padua, School of Medicine, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy. flumachi@unipd.it
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lumachi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ermani
authors.forename: Alba A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Brandes
authors.forename: Stefano M M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vastola
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lonardi
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boccagni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors