Abstract:

Objective

To explore the clinicopathologic characteristics and the outcome of steroid hormones treatment combined with surgery for granulomatous mastitis.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathologic characteristics and the treatment of 45 patients with granulomatous mastitis admitted in our hospital from June 2011 to June 2012.

Results

All patients had the clinical manifestation of breast mass. They underwent core needle biopsy, which indicated granulomatous inflammation centered at lobules of mammary gland, associated with small abscess and various inflammatory cells infiltration. In 21 patients with breast abscess(46.7%,21/45), bacterial culture of pus was negative in 19 patients (90.5%, 19/21). All patients were given steroid hormone therapy. Breast lesions began to shrink after treatment for a week on average (0.5-2 weeks)and decreased to the diameter of 2 cm after treatment for 6.2 weeks (2-18 weeks) on average. Then the lesion resection was performed. Median follow-up was 5.2 months (5-12 months). There were 3 cases of recurrence (6.7%,3/45). The cure rate was 93.3% (42/45).

Conclusions

Granulomatous mastitis should be diagnosed by pathologic examination such as core needle biopsy. Its diagnosis and treatment requires the cooperation of multiple departments. Steroid hormone treatment combined with surgery is effective for granulomatous mastitis and it can avoid total mastectomy and reduce recurrence.

Key words: mastitis, hormones, surgery