Diagnostic accuracy of triple test in breast pathologies of women above 20 years of age

Abstract

Background: This study is to establish the diagnostic accuracy of triple test in assessing breast pathologies in women above 20 years of age taking their histopathological report as standard. Patients and Methods: In our analytical study, we included women presenting with a complaint of breast lump or change in breast texture in an age group of above 20 years. Systematic clinical examination was done followed by mammography and finally fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for tissue sampling. Lesions were considered triple test positive, if lesions were FNAC positive and any one of the remaining two modalities also gave a positive (malignant) interpretation, supporting FNAC, but each of three components must be negative for labeling triple test as negative. Postoperatively, cumulative results were compared with histopathology reports and statistical parameters such as specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of triple test were calculated. Results: We have obtained 100% sensitivity using triple test in all age groups when each element was interpreted as malignant and 100% specificity (P < 0.001) when each element was interpreted as benign with diagnostic accuracy of almost 100% in concordant cases. It was recommended that in cases, where all three modalities are not in agreement for benign pathology and in FNAC positive cases where other two parameters are not in agreement, and lesion is interpreted as suspicious on triple test, the nature of the lesion must be ascertained by excision biopsy. Conclusion: Triple test of breast pathologies is a reliable method and allows detection of breast pathologies in an effective manner, and undue delay in treatment can be minimized by using this modality in limited resource country.