Non-lactational mastitis: characteristics of its course, diagnosis, and treatment (literature review)

Mastitis is an inflammatory breast disease, most often associated with lactation, but it can also occur in non–lactating women. Lactation mastitis is often a complication that occurs due to lactostasis during breastfeeding. Non-lactation mastitis is a multifactorial disease with a complex pathogenesis. The mechanisms of the disease development are not fully understood. The low incidence is largely due to insufficient diagnosis of the disease. Ultrasound, X-ray mammography, and magnetic resonance imaging are used in the diagnosis of non-lactation mastitis. Chronic non-lactation mastitis requires mandatory morphological confirmation, since it is clinically and instrumentally difficult to distinguish from malignant breast tumors. When choosing a biopsy method, preference should be given to core biopsy. Treatment of non-lactation mastitis includes an integrated approach using drug therapy and surgery, since monotherapy often leads to a recurrence of the disease in more than 50% of cases. Comprehensive treatment, as well as the correct choice of the type of surgical intervention and the time of its implementation, can reduce the risk of recurrence of non-lactation mastitis to 2-4%.