Granulomatous Mastitis — Clinicopathological Review of 38 Cases: A 3 Year Study with a Brief Review of Literature

Introduction: Granulomatous mastitis (GM) is a rare, chronic inflammatory condition of obscure etiology, varied clinical and pathological features. Methods: This was a restrospective, three-year analysis, of the clinical and histological parameters of diagnosed cases of GM. Results: An analysis of age at presentation revealed the mean age as 35.3 yr. Clinical data was available for 26 patients and the mean lesional size was 5.3 x 4.3 cm. The most common presenting complaint was as a lump, with diffuse swelling and nipple discharge next in frequency. Clinical diagnosis varied widely from benign to malignant. Treatment administered included incision and curettage, lumpectomy and simple mastectomy. Thirty-eight cases reviewed showed granulomas in all the cases. Caseous necrosis was absent. Special stains for tubercular bacilli and fungi had been done in 26 cases and were negative. Follow-up ranged from 3–5.5 years. Recurrence was documented in 57.6% of patients. Conclusion: GM, generally, is a disease of young women that is of particular significance since it can easily be mistaken for malignancy. Histopathological diagnosis is confirmatory.