Postoperative breast function and quality of life follow-up study in patients with plasma cell mastitis: a 1-year longitudinal analysis

Plasma cell mastitis (PCM) is a chronic inflammatory breast disease requiring surgical intervention, yet postoperative functional outcomes and quality of life remain poorly characterized. This study evaluated longitudinal changes in breast function and health-related quality of life following surgical treatment for PCM. This retrospective longitudinal cohort study included 142 women with histologically confirmed PCM who underwent surgical treatment between January 2020 and December 2023. Patients were assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively. Primary outcomes were breast appearance satisfaction (BREAST-Q), pain intensity (Numerical Rating Scale), and upper extremity function (Quick-DASH). Secondary outcome was health-related quality of life (SF-36). Linear mixed models analyzed changes over time with Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons. Mean age was 35.67 ± 8.42 years. Surgical procedures included wide local excision ( n = 71, 50.0%), limited excision ( n = 32, 22.5%), segmental mastectomy ( n = 24, 16.9%), and total mastectomy ( n = 15, 10.6%). BREAST-Q scores improved from 42.38 ± 12.56 at baseline to 68.74 ± 14.23 at 12 months ( p < 0.001). Pain scores decreased from 5.82 ± 2.14 to 1.45 ± 1.23 ( p < 0.001). Quick-DASH scores improved from 38.67 ± 15.34 to 12.89 ± 8.76 ( p < 0.001). SF-36 Physical Component Summary increased from 38.45 ± 8.92 to 48.76 ± 7.34 ( p < 0.001). All outcomes showed significant improvement at 6 months with continued gains at 12 months. The proportion achieving minimal clinically important differences at 12 months was 89.4% for appearance satisfaction, 92.3% for pain, and 85.2% for function. Surgical treatment for PCM results in significant and clinically meaningful improvements in breast function and quality of life sustained through 12 months. These patient-centered outcome data support surgical intervention effectiveness and inform preoperative counseling.