title: Granulomatous mastitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Granulomatous mastitis (GM) is a rare disease which predominantly occurs in premenopausal women shortly after their last childbirth.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Its etiology is unclear, however, the disease has been shown to be correlated with breast-feeding and the use of oral contraceptives. An autoimmune component has also been discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  It presents with the clinical symptoms of galactorrhea, inflammation, breast mass, tumorous indurations and ulcerations of the skin. In mammography and sonography nodular opacities and hypoechoic nodules are found. Very often clinical and radiological findings mimic breast cancer. HISTOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS: The diagnosis is made by histopathology. Histological features in GM include signs of a chronic granulomatous inflammation with giant cells, leucocytes, epitheloid cells and macrophages as well as abscesses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapy of GM consists of complete surgical excision combined with oral steroid therapy, eventually in combination with anti-inflammatory drugs or colchicine. Use of methotrexate has also been successful. In case of formation of abscesses antibiotic therapy should be applied before steroid therapy. Immune-suppressive therapy should be performed until complete remission as rates of recurrence can be up to 50%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany. diesingd@yahoo.de
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diesing
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Axt-Fliedner
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hornung
authors.forename: Jürgen M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Diedrich
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedrich
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003078:Colchicine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008413:Mastitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D003078:Colchicine