Abstract Background Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a rare, benign breast disease characterised by granulomatous inflammation. Current literature mainly comprises of small-sized retrospective studies with no well-designed clinical trials and limited representation of UK population. With no consensus to guide clinical practice there is a significant risk of delayed diagnosis and variation in management strategies that may adversely affect patient outcomes Methods ENIGMA is a multi-stage programme of work aiming to develop guidelines for the diagnosis and management of IGM in the UK. A scoping review will assess the range and quality of existing evidence, focusing on its relevance to UK practice. Findings from this review will inform a national practice questionnaire (NPQ) to capture current approaches to IGM care across the UK. These data, combined with a modified Delphi process involving experts and stakeholders, will support guideline development and help define priority research questions to advance best practice. Progress The scoping review identified 225 papers, involving 13 062 patients, mostly from Turkey, the USA, and China. Only three studies, covering 25 patients, originated from the UK. Commonly reported ethnic groups were Hispanic and Turkish. Risk factors include smoking and hormonal influences such as oestrogen and prolactin. Reported treatment strategies range from conservative approaches to medical therapies (antibiotics, steroids, immunosuppressants) and surgical interventions (drainage or excision). Preliminary results of the NPQ highlight substantial heterogeneity in UK diagnostic and management practices. Once the NPQ analysis is complete, the working group will initiate the Delphi process to establish consensus and inform guideline development.
Shah et al. (Sun,) studied this question.