Comparison of Histopathological Type in Breast Carcinoma Between Premenopausal & Postmenopausal Women

Background: Breast carcinoma is a significant health concern affecting women worldwide, with variationsin histopathological characteristics based on menopausal status. Understanding these differences is crucialfor guiding clinical management and improving patient outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to comparethe histopathological types of breast carcinoma between premenopausal and postmenopausal women.Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at the Department of Surgery, RajshahiMedical College, Rajshahi, from September 2021 to August 2022. Fifty female patients with breastcarcinoma were included, with 25 participants in each group: premenopausal (Group A) and postmenopausal(Group B). Specimens were obtained after modified radical mastectomy and subjected to histopathologicalexamination and immunohistochemistry for receptor assays in two reputable laboratories. Results: Amongthe 50 patients, premenopausal women (n=16, 64%) were mostly aged 31-40 years, while postmenopausalwomen (n=12, 48%) were aged 51-60 years. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) was the most common type,present in 15 premenopausal women (60%) and 18 postmenopausal women (72%). Estrogen Receptor(ER) positivity was higher in premenopausal women (n=17, 68%) compared to postmenopausal women(n=13, 52%). Progesterone Receptor (PR) positivity was more frequent in premenopausal women (n=16,64%) than in postmenopausal women (n=11, 44%). HER2 positivity was observed in 5 premenopausal(20%) and 7 postmenopausal women (30%). Postmenopausal women had larger tumors, higher histologicalgrades, and more lymph node involvement. Conclusions: This study highlights distinct histopathologicalcharacteristics of breast carcinoma between premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Premenopausalpatients tended to present with a higher frequency of IDC and ER-positive tumors, whereas postmenopausalpatients showed a higher prevalence of IDC and variability in receptor expression. These findings underscorethe importance of considering menopausal status in the diagnosis and management of breast carcinoma.