SURVEY RESULTS ON ULTRASOUND CHARACTERISTICS AND RELATED FACTORS OF BREAST TUMORS IN WOMEN UNDERGOING BREAST ULTRASOUND AT CAN THO UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY HOSPITAL IN 2024 - 2025

Abstract

Background: Breast tumors are common conditions in women and can occur at any age. Benign breast tumors account for approximately 80%, while malignant tumors make up about 20%. Breast cancer is among the leading causes of cancer-related mortality in women worldwide, including in Vietnam. It is prevalent in both developed and developing countries. The diagnosis of breast tumors is typically based on clinical examination combined with imaging techniques such as mammography, breast ultrasound, and histopathological findings. Consequently, the rate of early detection of breast tumors has significantly increased, leading to higher treatment success rates. Ultrasound is a widely used and commonly indicated modality for breast examination. It offers several advantages, including the ability to differentiate between solid and cystic lesions, provide imaging features suggestive of benign or malignant nature, facilitate breast biopsy, and offer a low-cost, non-invasive, and painless approach. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and ultrasound characteristics of breast tumors and identify related factors in women. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 218 female patients who underwent breast ultrasound imaging at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. Results: The clinical and ultrasonographic characteristics of breast lesions primarily indicate benign features. Most cases presented with breast pain (26.1%), with lesions predominantly located in the left breast (34.9%). The majority were solitary lesions (59.2%) with an oval shape (91.7%), well-defined margins (99.5%), hypoechoic echogenicity compared to fat (56%), and a cystic structure (59.2%). No posterior acoustic shadowing was observed (100%), and the lesions showed no signs of invasion (99.5%) or vascular proliferation (98.6%), with no axillary lymph node metastasis (96.3%). BI-RADS category 3 was the most prevalent (45.5%), particularly in the 30–60 age group (statistically significant, p=0.003). However, there were no significant differences based on marital or reproductive status (p>0.05). Conclusion: In the distribution of BIRADS classifications by age group, BI-RADS 3 accounted for 45.5% in the 30-60 age group, while the proportions in those under 30 years old were 32.6% and 10.6%, respectively. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.005). The study indicates a correlation between age group and the prevalence of breast tumors in women.