β-hCG Expression in Patients with Benign and Malignant Cystic Breast Diseases

INTRODUCTION: Cystic disease of the breast has been recognized as the most frequent female benign breast lesion.Gross breast cysts filled with serous fluid are almost always benign, yet there is four times greater risk of developing a malignancy in the breast. The biochemical content of breast cyst fluid (BCF) reflects the endocrine milieu of the breast and the study of hormonal content of fluid aspirated from breast cysts has yielded a wealth of data that may shed some light on the pathogenesis of benign breast disease as it possibly relates to mammary cancer. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To analyse the expression of β-hCG in patients with benign and malignant cystic breast diseases. 2. To assess the usefulness of β-hCG in the diagnosis of benign and malignant cystic breast lumps. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study done on 50 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria admitted in various surgical wards of Madras medical college & RGGGH, Chennai during the period June 2017 to May 2018. The patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria are subjected to clinical, radiological & pathological investigations. Breast cystic fluid β-hCG levels are estimated and the increase in BCF β-hCG levels in accordance with benign and malignant conditions studied. RESULTS: In present study, about 97.4% of the benign cystic breast disease patients had increased β-hCG levels (P < .01). CONCLUSION: BCF β-hCG levels are useful in the diagnosis of benign breast cysts and increased breast cystic fluid β-hCG levels are favorable towards benign breast cystic disease