Granulomatous Lobular Mastitis

In a period of ten years, a total of eight cases of granulomatous lobular mastitis was retrieved from a total number of 614 breast biopsies handled in our laboratory (1.3%). The patients were of childbearing age and had a recent history of delivery or pregnancy. All except one had a unilateral lesion that clinically mimicked carcinoma in 75% of the cases. Histology revealed necrotizing granulomas confined to the lobules with a frequent finding of a central empty space, presumably representing lipids. The origin of granulomatous mastitis is still unknown, and we discuss the various suggested etiologic factors and support the contention that it is a hypersensitivity reaction to unidentified material in the lobular secretion. Int J surg Pathol 4(3):00-00, 1997