Granulomatous mastitis treatment options and our experience

Area of Science:

• Breast Pathology
• Surgical Oncology
• Inflammatory Diseases

Background:

• Granulomatous mastitis (GM) is a rare, benign inflammatory breast condition.
• Clinical presentation includes unilateral breast mass, pain, and resistance.
• Definitive diagnosis relies on biopsy showing non-caseifying granulomas and potential microabscesses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate treatment strategies for granulomatous mastitis.
• To highlight the high recurrence rate associated with current therapies.
• To present case reports on patient treatment outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Review of diagnostic methods, emphasizing sonography and biopsy.
• Analysis of treatment options: conservative (corticosteroids) versus surgical (mastectomy).
• Discussion of surgical principles including radicality and reconstructive techniques.

Main Results:

• GM exhibits a high recurrence rate, nearing 50%, indicating suboptimal current treatments.
• Conservative treatments (e.g., oral steroids) have high recurrence risks.
• Surgical excision with negative margins is associated with lower recurrence rates.

Conclusions:

• Current treatments for GM are often suboptimal, leading to high recurrence.
• Surgical intervention with thorough excision is crucial for successful management.
• While conservative options exist, surgery remains a key treatment modality for GM.