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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol 2015; 36(02): 123-127
DOI: 10.4103/0971-5851.158846
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Role of triple test score in the evaluation of palpable breast lump

Smita Sushil Kachewar
Department of Pathology, Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College and General Hospitals, Narhe, Ambegaon, Pune, India
,
Suryakant Dattatraya Dongre
Department of Pathology, Rural Medical College, PIMS (DU), Loni-Bk., Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India
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Abstract

Introduction: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) method is safe, reliable and time saving outdoor procedure with little discomfort to the patient for detecting Carcinoma breast. The efficacy can further be enhanced when physical breast examination, mammography and FNAC (the triple test [TT]) are jointly taken into consideration. Aims and Objectives : The aim was to evaluate the role of TT score (TTS) in palpable breast masses. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was carried out from May 2010 to April 2012. In the subjects referred to the Department of Pathology for FNAC of the breast mass, the TTS was calculated, and histopathological findings were noted. Results: In the study period TTS score was calculated in 200 cases out of 225 FNAC′s of breast. Of 124 benign cases on cytology, only three showed discordant TTS. Out of 62 malignant cases, 61 showed concordant TTS and one case of mastitis on histopathology showed TTS of five. Out of all the benign lesions, two cases of fibrocystic disease and a single case of phylloides tumor gave a TTS ≥6. These cases were diagnosed as infiltrating ductal carcinoma and angiosarcoma respectively on histopathology. Histopathological correlation was possible in only 70 patients. Of these 70, 28 were from the benign category and 42 were from the malignant category. TTS of ≥6 has a sensitivity of 97.44%, specificity of 100%. FNAC has a sensitivity of 88.37%, specificity of 96.42%. Conclusions: TT reliably guides evaluation of palpable breast masses. Histological correlation indicated TTS to be better diagnostic tool than FNAC alone.

Keywords

Carcinoma breast - fine needle aspiration cytology breast - triple test - triple test score


Publication History

Article published online:
12 July 2021

© 2015. Indian Society of Medical and Paediatric Oncology. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.)

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