International Journal of Health Sciences & Research (www.ijhsr.org) 38 Vol.8; Issue: 10; October 2018 International Journal of Health Sciences and Research www.ijhsr.org ISSN: 2249-9571 Original Research Article Role of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Diagnosis of Palpable Breast Lesions and Its Correlation with Histopathologic Basis Suhas K Thazha 1 , Hilda Fernandez 2 , Charlie P. Cruz 3 , Jonas P. Cruz 1 1 Shaqra University, Shaqra, KSA, 2 Father Muller's Medical College, Karnataka, India, 3 University of Wyoming, USA, Corresponding Author: Suhas K Thazha ABSTRACT Aim and Objectives: To ascertain the efficiency of fine needle aspiration cytology in the examination of palpable breast lesions and to investigate the correlation between cytological and histopathological examination. Materials and Methods: The present study was a retrospective study conducted in the Department of pathology, 300 bedded capacity tertiary hospital, Riyadh province, KSA from April 2015 to November 2016. Sixty five patients were studied. It includes only those patient who had FNAC followed by histopathological examination were available in records of pathology department. Results: Out of 65 cases 21 cases were diagnosed as benign breast lesions and 44 cases were diagnosed as malignant breast lesions on cytology. On histological examination out of 21 benign lesions only one shows carcinoma while all malignant lesions were confirmed. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy was 95.2%, 100%, 100%, 95.2% and 98.4% respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, the simplicity, rapidity, lack of morbidity, a high sensitivity, a high specificity and economical effectiveness of FNAC makes it the maximum treasured tool within the evaluation of the breast lesions. Keywords: Breast lumps, Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), open biopsy INTRODUCTION Over the past century a higher progress has been made in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Breast cancer incidence is higher in developed countries as compared to its incidence in underdeveloped countries except in Japan. [1] In Saudi Arabia, the age incidence of breast cancer seen in various population and it ranges between 10 - 20 per 1,00,000 persons as per the record of international agency for research on cancer. [2] The incidence of breast cancer is increasing in Saudi Arabia and the potential curability of disease if detected early has underscored the need for quick and reliable diagnostic method. FNAC carried out by a well trained cytopathologist is a reliable, economical and simple diagnostic procedure for the palpable breast lesions. [3,4] It can be used as an OPD procedure without the necessary to hospitalize the patient. It is safe and can be repeated very easily and the result become available while patient’s first visit to the hospital and it may avoid the necessary for open biopsy. [5] However, the diagnosis by fine needle aspiration cytology may be presumptive in various cases. The