Lupus mastitis: a clinicopathologic review and addition of a case

Lupus mastitis (LM) is a rare presentation of lupus erythematosus profundus or lupus panniculitis, an unusual and rare clinical variant of lupus erythematosus itself in which the inflammatory reaction occurs primarily in the deep subcutaneous adipose. Although not required for diagnosis, essentially all cases of LM present with systemic or discoid lupus. The etiology is uncertain. Histologically it is defined by a lymphocytic lobular panniculitis and a characteristic hyaline sclerosis of the adipose tissue. Treatment is primarily medical due to exacerbation of disease by surgical intervention. A high index of suspicion, and familiarity of the histologic findings, is therefore required to make an accurate diagnosis and prevent further unwarranted diagnostic procedures. Herein, we provide a literature-based review of the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic findings of LM and its treatment and prognosis with the addition of a case for the literature.