DECIPHERING THE ENIGMA OF LUMPS: A DIVE INTO AGE AND GENDER DYNAMICS

Background: Lumps, or palpable masses, are a common clinical nding with a myriad of potential etiologies, ranging from benign conditions to malignancies. Understanding the interplay between age, gender, and the occurrence of lumps is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management. This article explores the epidemiology of lumps across different age groups and genders, aiming to elucidate patterns that can aid clinicians in the diagnostic process. A retrospective study was conducted using patient records from a tertiary care Methods: hospital over a two-years period (2018-2019). Data on patients presenting with lumps were collected, including age, gender, location of the lump, and diagnosis. Statistical analyses were performed to identify correlations between demographic factors and the nature of the lumps An Results: alysis of 85 patient records revealed age- and gender-specic variations in lumps. Children had congenital anomalies and benign tumors. Adolescents and young adults had benign breast and soft tissue tumors. Middle-aged adults had more breast and thyroid lumps. Elderly patients showed more malignant tumors. Women were more prone to breast and ovarian lumps, while men had more testicular lumps and gynecomastia. Conclusion: The study emphasizes age and gender in lump evaluation. Pediatric lumps are usually benign but need monitoring. Adolescents' lumps are inuenced by hormones. Middle-aged adults need careful checks for breast and thyroid malignancies. Elderly patients require prompt assessment due to higher malignancy rates. Gender differences call for targeted diagnostics, especially for breast and testicular lumps