title: Lymphocytic mastitis and fibrosis of the breast in long-standing insulin-dependent diabetics. A histopathologic study on diabetic mastopathy and report of ten cases.
abstract: Diabetic mastopathy represents less than 1% of benign breast diseases, but is more frequent (13%) in insulin-dependent diabetics. We report on 10 cases (eight females and two males) of this rare lesion of the breast in patients with additional diabetes mellitus type I. All cases showed a marked B-lymphocytic mastitis in combination with a homogenous fibrosis of the breast and with presence of epithelioid fibroblasts. In the male patients, diabetic mastopathy simulated gynecomastia. A comparative examination of 12 cases of lymphocytic mastitis without long-standing type-I-diabetes mellitus revealed a more heterogeneous pattern with lower degrees of inflammation and fibrosis. From the pathophysiologic point of view, lymphocytic mastitis in diabetic mastopathy is thought to be a diabetes-induced reaction probably of autoimmune origin. Moreover, lymphocytic mastitis with or without diabetes mellitus may represent a lymphoepithelial lesion of the MALT-type which, under certain circumstances, is considered to bear a prelymphomatous potential.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, General and Academic Hospital, Fulda, Germany.
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Hunfeld
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bässler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008327:Mammography; D008413:Mastitis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal