Case of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis: Recognition of a new management paradigm

Granulomatous mastitis is a benign breast disease where the difficulty in diagnosis is due to its sporadic nature, rarity, lack of awareness amongst providers, and variable features that often can be mistaken for infectious or malignant diseases.The diagnosis is made with core needle biopsy showing giant multinucleated cells, epithelioid histiocytes, lymphocytic infiltration and absence of bacteria or malignant cellular transformation.Once diagnosis is made, initial treatment is a course of high-dose steroids; the patient is monitored in clinic for resolution.After the inflammatory process regresses, the residual atypical tissue is surgically excised with clear margins.Prompt diagnosis and proper treatment results in long term resolution.