Cornus Officinalis Total Glycosides Alleviate Granulomatous Lobular Mastitis via the B7-CD28/CTLA-4 Costimulatory Pathway.

Cornus officinalis total glycosides (COTG) derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Cornus officinalis, is a natural immunosuppressant and has been extensively studied in immunomodulation and immunosuppression. This study aimed to explore the effects of COTG on granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) and its associated mechanisms. Compared to the model group, COTG effectively ameliorated histopathological damage to breast tissue, reduced mammary gland suppuration, and enhanced the blood-milk barrier. Additionally, COTG treatment reduced the total number of T cells and B cells in GLM rats, significantly improving clinical indicators such as P-selectin, E-selectin, and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1. We also observed downregulation of CD28 and B7 expression levels, an upregulation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) expression, and a significant decrease in inflammatory marker levels in the COTG group. COTG exerts an anti-inflammatory effect in GLM by stimulating CTLA-4, inhibiting the B7-CD28 signaling pathway affecting T cell activation, and promoting the blood-milk barrier. These findings suggest that COTG could be a promising therapeutic option for managing GLM, potentially improving patient outcomes by modulating immune responses and reinforcing the blood-milk barrier.

Granulomatous lobular mastitis co-existing with ductal carcinoma in situ: Report of three cases and review of the literature.

Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a benign and infrequent chronic breast ailment. Although this lesion can be clinically and radiographically mistaken for early-onset breast cancer, it is a rare occurrence for the two to coexist. This report describes three such cases. In all three patients, the primary signs and symptoms were related to the formation of diffuse breast masses or abscesses. Breast ultrasound and MRI revealed glandular edema and dilated breast ducts. The biopsies of all lesions exhibited both granulomatous inflammation confined to the lobules of the breast, abundant interstitial inflammatory cell infiltrates, and apparently cancerous cells located in dilated ducts with intact basement membranes. The surgically excised specimens confirmed the diagnosis of GLM and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in all three patients who underwent breast mass resection. By clinical imaging and clinical manifestations, GLM may obscure a concurrent DCIS, as highlighted by the cases reported herein.

A sonogram radiomics model for differentiating granulomatous lobular mastitis from invasive breast cancer: a multicenter study.

PURPOSE: To construct a nomogram based on sonogram features and radiomics features to differentiate granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) from invasive breast cancer (IBC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective collection of 213 GLMs and 472 IBCs from three centers was divided into a training set, an internal validation set, and an external validation set. A radiomics model was built based on radiomics features, and the RAD score of the lesion was calculated. The sonogram radiomics model was constructed using ultrasound features and RAD scores. Finally, the diagnostic efficacy of the three sonographers with different levels of experience before and after combining the RAD score was assessed in the external validation set. RESULTS: The RAD score, lesion diameter, orientation, echogenicity, and tubular extension showed significant differences in GLM and IBC (p < 0.05). The sonogram radiomics model based on these factors achieved optimal performance, and its area under the curve (AUC) was 0.907, 0.872, and 0.888 in the training, internal, and external validation sets, respectively. The AUCs before and after combining the RAD scores were 0.714, 0.750, and 0.830 and 0.834, 0.853, and 0.878, respectively, for sonographers with different levels of experience. The diagnostic efficacy was comparable for all sonographers when combined with the RAD score (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Radiomics features effectively enhance the ability of sonographers to discriminate between GLM and IBC and reduce interobserver variation. The nomogram combining ultrasound features and radiomics features show promising diagnostic efficacy and can be used to identify GLM and IBC in a noninvasive approach.

Clinical features and recurrence of Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii infection in patients with mastitis.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the differences in clinical features of patients with mastitis following Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii infection, and most focused on the bacterial antimicrobial susceptibility, detection methods and therapy. METHODOLOGY: There were 133 patients with mastitis infected by C. kroppenstedtii between August 2016 and September 2019. C. kroppenstedtii was identified using mass spectrometry. The demographics, clinical diagnosis, laboratory test results of different types of mastitis combined with bacillus infection, and the effects of different treatments in reducing recurrence were compared. RESULTS: The incidence of pus following C. kroppenstedtii infection was higher in patients with non-granulomatous lobular mastitis (NGLM; 56.6%) than in those with granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM; 33.3%; χ2 = 7.072, p = 0.008). While C-reactive protein (CRP) was higher in the GLM group (12.50 mg/L) than in the NGLM group (6.05 mg/L; Z = - 2.187, p = 0.029). Treatment with local lavage (triamcinolone acetonide) and antibiotics (cefuroxime) showed a recurrent rate of 25.9% in C. kroppenstedtii infection. CONCLUSION: Increased pus, large masses, and an elevated CRP level may occur in patients with mastitis infected by C.kroppenstedtii. These clinical features may guide the determination of the bacterial infection in patients with mastitis. Combining an antibiotic with a triamcinolone acetonide lavage, preferably cefuroxime, may reduce the recurrence.

Methotrexate and low-dose corticosteroid: An effective alternate against corticosteroid-resistant granulomatous lobular mastitis.

AIM: Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GM) is an inflammatory breast disease with unknown etiology. Studies showed that some patients could achieve complete remission with corticosteroids and excisional surgery. However, some patients would suffer from corticosteroid resistance. We aim to report our single-center experience with the highest number of corticosteroid-resistant GM patients treated by methotrexate and low-dose corticosteroid. METHODS: The medical record database in our center was searched retrospectively for GM patients between January 2015 and January 2022. Patients suffered corticosteroid resistance and received methotrexate-containing regimen were included in this study. The clinical characteristics, management and outcomes were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients with the median follow-up of 18 months (range 5-61 months) were included. The median age was 30 years old (range 21-48 years). The common initial complaints were breast mass, pain, and erythema. The initial treatment of 80 (98.8%) patients was methylprednisolone. Patients were switched to methotrexate and low-dose corticosteroid due to corticosteroid resistance. Complete remission was achieved in 61 (75.3%) patients who received methotrexate and low-dose corticosteroid with or without segmental dissection. Nineteen methotrexate-resistant patients were referred for antimycobacterial treatment with the exception that one patient was lost during follow-up. Thirteen of them achieved complete remission, and the other five gained partial remission and received segmental dissection. None of these methotrexate-resistant patients recured. CONCLUSION: An approach with methotrexate and low-dose corticosteroid should be considered as an alternative method to corticosteroid-resistant GM patients.

Clinical characteristics and predictive factors of erythema nodosum in granulomatous lobular mastitis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In recent years, there is a growing incidence of granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM), but studies about the coexistence of erythema nodosum (EN) and GLM are rare. In this study, we assess the clinical characteristics and predictive factors of EN in GLM. METHODS: A total of 303 patients diagnosed with GLM were enrolled from January 2012 to October 2018 at the second affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, including 78 patients with EN. Follow-up data included: lesion site, lesion size, therapy approaches, course of GLM, course of EN, the recurrence of disease, possible causes. All patients had pathologic confirmation of GLM based on core needle biopsy (CNB) or surgical excision. RESULT: Fever in the EN group was significantly more common compared to the non-EN group (44.87% vs 12.89%, P < 0.001). The proportion of lesion range >2 quadrants in the EN group was significantly higher than that in the non-EN group (42.31% vs 16.00%, P < 0.001). The course of the disease was longer in the EN group compared to the non-EN group (10.32 moths vs 8.74 moths, P < 0.001). Patients with EN had a trend towards a higher risk of recurrence (5.13% vs 1.33%, P = 0.055). CONCLUSION: EN is more likely to be found in GLM patients with breast lesion range >2 quadrants. The presence of EN in GLM indicates that the condition becomes more severe and the course of GLM also becomes longer.

Ultrasound classification-guided minimally invasive rotary cutting in granulomatous lobular mastitis.

BACKGROUND: To summarize the clinical experience of ultrasound-guided minimally invasive surgery for granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM), and explore the feasibility of this technique for treating GLM. METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed the clinical features and treatment outcome of 30 patients who were diagnosed pathologically as GLM from 2016.3 to 2019.5 in the Department of Breast Surgery, Women's and Children's Hospital, Xiamen University. These patients weretreated with ultrasound-guided Mammotome minimally invasive surgery, and we tried to classified the lesion into four distinct patterns (diffuse abscess mixed type, sheet hypoechoic type, localized abscess type, localized hypoechoic mass type) according to the sonographic findings and clinical symptoms to find out if these patterns correlated with treatment and recurrence rate. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 12 months on average (4-42 months), 26 cases (86.7%) were cured without acute or chronic complications such as disseminated inflammation and bleeding. Post-operative bleeding occurred in 1 case, and 3 cases (10.00%) relapsed. The ultrasound classification had 0 cases of diffuse abscess mixed type, 17 cases (56.7%) of sheet hypoechoic type, 9 cases (30%) of localized abscess type, and 4 cases (13.3%) of localized hypoechoic mass type. All 3 recurrent cases were sheet hypoechoic type, which were cured after another open surgical resection and showed no recurrence during an average follow-up of 20 months (11-40 months). CONCLUSIONS: In treating GLM patients with minimally invasive rotary cutting, ultrasound classification helps to select suitable patients, especially those with localized abscess and localized hypoechoic mass types with low recurrence rate, which is one of the safe and effective treatment methods.

Minimally invasive comprehensive treatment for granulomatous lobular mastitis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a minimally invasive comprehensive treatment for granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) and compare its effect with the existing methods, particularly in terms of its recurrence rate and esthetic outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed 69 GLM patients receiving the minimally invasive comprehensive treatment. Patients' information, including age, clinical features, image characteristics, histopathological findings, mastitis history, treatment process, operative technique, recurrence, and esthetic effect, was evaluated. RESULTS: All patients were female with a median age of 32 (range 17-55) years. Hospital stays ranged from 2 to 34 days, with a median of 6 days. The shortest time for complete rehabilitation was 2 days and the longest time was 365 days, with a median of 30 days. After a median follow-up of 391 days (range 162-690), 7 patients (10.14%) relapsed. The average cosmetic score was 2.62 ± 0.57 points and was mainly related to the past treatment, especially the surgical history. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive comprehensive treatment is a new method for the treatment of GLM, ensuring a therapeutic effect while maintaining breast beauty.

Efficacy and safety of rifampicin-based triple therapy for non-puerperal mastitis: A single-arm, open-label, prospective clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of rifampicin-based triple therapy (rifampicin, isoniazid, and ethambutol) for treating NPM. METHODS: This single-center, single-arm, prospective clinical trial was conducted at the Second Hospital of Shandong University (Jinan, China). Patients with pathologically diagnosed granulomatous lobular mastitis and periductal mastitis received triple drugs, i.e., rifampicin (450 mg/day), isoniazid (300 mg/day), and ethambutol (15 mg/kg/day), until complete response or the investigator decided to discontinue treatment. The primary endpoint was the complete response rate (CRR) assessed by the investigator. The secondary endpoints included the overall remission rate (ORR), recurrence rate (RR), and safety. RESULTS: A total of 218 patients were enrolled in the study between January 1, 2013 and October 31, 2020. With a median follow-up time of 48 months, the CRR and the ORR were 78.44% and 94.04%, respectively. While 13 patients (5.96%) demonstrated no response and 19 relapsed (8.72%). Adverse events (AEs) were not common. The most common AEs during treatment were liver dysfunction (1.83%), gastrointestinal reactions (1.83%), fatigue (1.83%), erythema (1.38%), and menstrual disorders (0.92%). CONCLUSION: Rifampicin, isoniazid, and ethambutol demonstrated promising response rates with acceptable safety profiles in patients with NPM. Further confirmatory trial is warranted in the future. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Hospital of Shandong University and retrospectively registered at the China Clinical Trial Registration Center (registration number: ChiCTR2100049591).

Periductal Mastitis, a Disease with Distinct Clinicopathological Features from Granulomatous Lobular Mastitis.

Purpose: Periductal mastitis (PDM) is a chronic inflammatory lesion of the breast with an unknown etiology, and it is difficult for clinicians to differentiate it from granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM), although they have different treatment strategies and prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the differences in their clinicopathologic features to inform treatment strategies. Patients and Methods: Between 2011 and 2020, 121 patients diagnosed with PDM and 57 patients with GLM were retrospective analysis. Patient data were extracted on demographics, clinical presentation, pathologic characteristics, treatments and clinical response. Histopathological evaluations were performed on core needle biopsy specimens. Immunohistochemical stains using antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, and CD138 was performed to define immune cell infiltration. Results: PDM patients had a higher median age compared to GLM patients (38 vs 32, p<0.001). PDM was primarily located in the areolar area, while GLM predominantly affected the peripheral quadrant of the breast (56.20% vs 75.44%, p<0.001). Histopathologically, more ductal dilatation (90.08% vs 3.51%, p<0.001), ductal wall thickening (47.93% vs 1.75%, p<0.001), and ductal rupture (44.63% vs 5.26%, p<0.001) were observed in PDM. GLM presented with significantly more granuloma (94.74% vs 10.74%, p<0.001), microabscess (68.42% vs 28.93%, p<0.001), and lipid vacuole (40.35% vs 8.26%, p<0.001) formation than PDM. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed a significant presence of CD20+ B lymphocytes in PDM and a higher prevalence of CD8+ T lymphocytes in GLM, indicating differing immune responses. Treatment outcomes varied, with PDM patients responding well to surgery and anti-mycobacterial therapy, while GLM patients showed favorable responses to steroid therapy. Conclusion: PDM is a specific entity with a similar clinical presentation but distinct histopathological features and immune profiles to GLM. Further research is needed to elucidate the pathogenesis and optimize therapeutic approaches for these breast inflammatory conditions.

Staged operation in the surgical treatment of granulomatous lobular mastitis.

Background: Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a chronic inflammatory breast condition characterized by an unclear etiology and an undefined therapeutic approach. Surgical intervention is considered an alternative modality for managing GLM. Staged operation is the predominant and characteristic surgical approach in the treatment of GLM in our center; therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of staged operative techniques in this cohort study. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 212 patients with GLM who underwent staged operation between August 2020 and July 2022 in the inpatient department of our institute. Their clinical history information, clinic complaints, treatment details, surgical outcomes, follow-up results, and scores on the satisfaction questionnaire were analyzed. The patients were called for follow-up and consultation with a deadline of August 2023. Results: The median follow-up time was 27 months (range, 14-37 months). In total, 212 patients were treated with three different staged procedures according to the individual assessment and patient willingness, including 168 patients who underwent one-stage debridement operation and two-stage suture operation (DO + SO), 25 patients who underwent one-stage debridement operation without suture (DO), and 19 patients who underwent one-stage debridement and simultaneous suture operation (DSO). The median recovery time was 29 days (range, 14-60 days). A minority of patients developed postoperative complications, including effusion (1.89%), flap ischemia (0.94%), areola-nipple ischemia (0.94%) and sinus tract formation (2.36%). The scores of the satisfaction questionnaire were 43.10±3.09, and 186 patients (87.74%) gave high scores for postoperative breast appearance. Only 5 of 212 patients (2.36%) developed recurrence. Conclusions: Staged operation performed in our institute is an effective and safe surgical therapy in patients with GLM, yielding a short recovery time, low recurrence and good cosmetic results.

Rare and Complicated Granulomatous Lobular Mastitis (2000-2023): A Bibliometrics Study and Visualization Analysis.

Purpose: Granulomatous mastitis (GLM) is a rare and complex chronic inflammatory disease of the breast with an unknown cause and a tendency to recur. As medical science advances, the cause, treatment strategies, and comprehensive management of GLM have increasingly attracted widespread attention. The aim of this study is to assess the development trends and research focal points in the GLM field over the past 24 years using bibliometric analysis. Methods: Using GLM, Granulomatous mastitis (GM), Idiopathic granulomatous lobular mastitis (IGLM), and Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) as keywords, we retrieved publications related to GLM from 2000 to 2023 from the Web of Science, excluding articles irrelevant to this study. Citespace and VOSviewer were employed for data analysis and visualization. Results: A total of 347 publications were included in this analysis. Over the past 24 years, the number of publications has steadily increased, with Turkey being the leading contributor in terms of publications and citations. The University of Health Sciences, Istanbul University, and Istanbul University Cerrahpasa were the most influential institutions. The Breast Journal, Breast Care, and Journal of Investigative Surgery were the journals that published the most on this topic. The research primarily focused on the cause, differential diagnosis, treatment, and comprehensive management of GLM. Issues related to recurrence, hyperprolactinemia, and Corynebacterium emerged as current research hotspots. Conclusion: Our bibliometric study outlines the historical development of the GLM field and identifies recent research focuses and trends, which may aid researchers in identifying research hotspots and directions, thereby advancing the study of GLM.

Construction of a Multi-Indicator Model for Abscess Prediction in Granulomatous Lobular Mastitis Using Inflammatory Indicators.

Background: Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a chronic inflammatory breast disease, and abscess formation is a common complication of GLM. The process of abscess formation is accompanied by changes in multiple inflammatory markers. The present study aimed to construct a diagnosis model for the early of GLM abscess formation based on multiple inflammatory parameters. Methods: Based on the presence or absence of abscess formation on breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 126 patients with GLM were categorised into an abscess group (85 patients) and a non-abscess group (41 patients). Demographic characteristics and the related laboratory results for the 9 inflammatory markers were collected. Logistics univariate analysis and collinearity test were used for selecting independent variables. A regression model to predict abscess formation was constructed using Logistics multivariate analysis. Results: The univariate and multivariate analysis showed that the N, ESR, IL-4, IL-10 and INF-α were independent diagnostic factors of abscess formation in GLM (P<0. 05). The nomogram was drawn on the basis of the logistics regression model. The area under the curve (AUC) of the model was 0.890, which was significantly better than that of a single indicator and the sensitivity and specificity of the model were high (81.2% and 85.40%, respectively). These results predicted by the model were highly consistent with the actual diagnostic results. The results of this calibration curve indicated that the model had a good value and stability in predicting abscess formation in GLM. The decision curve analysis (DCA) demonstrated a satisfactory positive net benefit of the model. Conclusion: A predictive model for abscess formation in GLM based on inflammatory markers was constructed in our study, which may provide a new strategy for early diagnosis and treatment of the abscess stage of GLM.

A single center experience with a rare clinical entity of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis: Case series and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM), also called autoimmune mastitis or granulomatous lobular mastitis is a benign, rare disease of the breast lobules. It is characterized by chronic non-caseating granulomatous sterile inflammation of the breast lobules. It is a disease of middle-aged women. CASE SERIES PRESENTATION: Herein we report six cases of IGM the General Surgery Department at Palestinian Medical Complex (PMC) with a good response to treatment and significant improvement. The patients were followed-up for an average of 4-month period. DISCUSSION: Pathophysiology is uncertain. It has a wide differential diagnosis and malignancy should be ruled out. Its diagnosis is highly challenging and is only made by biopsy. Treatment options include medical and surgical therapy. Patients are usually started with a low dose prednisolone, other options include immunosuppressive agents, antibiotics, NSAIDs, colchicine and minimally invasive surgery. IGM has a high recurrence rate up to 40 % and long term follow up is advised. CONCLUSION: IGM is a rare breast pathology that evolves in an unpredictable manner over time. Clinical and radiological aspects vary and pose a diagnostic challenge, particularly in breast cancer. The pathological examination is still the most important component of certain diagnoses. The clinically correlated treatment is still debatable.

Novel insights: crosstalk with non-puerperal mastitis and immunity.

The two primary types of non-puerperal mastitis (NPM) are granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) and plasma cell mastitis (PCM). Existing research indicates that immune inflammatory response is considered to be the core of the pathogenesis of GLM and PCM, and both innate and adaptive immune responses play an important role in the pathophysiology of PCM and GLM. However, the regulatory balance between various immune cells in these diseases is still unclear. Consequently, we present a comprehensive summary of the immune-related variables and recent advances in GLM and PCM.

Treatment modalities for granulomatous mastitis, seeking the most appropriate treatment with the least recurrence rate: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Granulomatous mastitis (GM) is a rare, benign, inflammatory breast disease with an unknown etiology that predominantly affects women of reproductive age. The definitive treatment of GM is currently controversial; an appropriate therapeutic strategy has yet to be identified, and the disease's high recurrence rate remains. This study aims to determine the recurrence rate for each GM treatment strategy to identify the most appropriate treatment modality. METHODS: The search for relevant articles was undertaken using three international databases, including Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science. Articles published in English until the end of 2021 evaluating the recurrence rate of GM were included. Using Stata 13.0, the pooled incidence and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the recurrence rate were determined. RESULTS: Sixty-five eligible studies were included in our study. The recurrence rates of systemic steroid use, topical steroid use, antibiotic use, methotrexate use, observation, drainage, excision, antibiotic use and surgery, steroid use and surgery, antibiotic and steroid use, methotrexate and steroid use were 24% (95% CI: 21-27%), 11% (95% CI: 6-21%), 18% (95% CI: 14-22%), 13% (95% CI: 7-22%), 11% (95% CI: 7-17%), 65% (95% CI: 50-78%), 13% (95% CI: 10-16%), 23% (95% CI: 14-36%), 7% (95% CI: 5-11%), 11% (95% CI: 6-18%), and 4% (95% CI: 2-8%), respectively. Drainage had the highest recurrence rate, while combined methotrexate and steroid treatment had the lowest rate. CONCLUSION: The optimal treatment strategy for GM depends on the disease's severity, consequences, and the patient's features. The study results indicate that combination therapy is preferable for minimizing the risk of relapse and reducing treatment complications.

Pathological manifestations of granulomatous lobular mastitis.

Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a rare inflammatory breast disease with unknown etiology, characterized by non-caseous granulomatous inflammation of the lobules, which infiltrate lymphocytes, neutrophils, plasma cells, monocytes, and eosinophils may accompany. GLM is often misdiagnosed as breast cancer due to the lack of specificity in clinical and imaging examinations, and therefore histopathology is the main basis for confirming the diagnosis. This review provides an overview of the pathological features of granulomatous lobular mastitis and cystic neutrophil granulomatous mastitis (CNGM, a pathologic subtype of GLM). As well as pathologic manifestations of other breast diseases that need to be differentiated from granulomatous lobular mastitis such as breast tuberculosis, lymphocytic mastopathy/diabetic mastopathy, IgG4-related sclerosing mastitis (IgG4-RSM), nodular disease, Wegener's granulomatosis, and plasma cell mastitis. Besides, discusses GLM and CNGM, GLM and breast cancer, emphasizing that their relationship deserves further in-depth exploration. The pathogenesis of GLM has not yet been clearly articulated and needs to be further explored, pathology enables direct observation of the microscopic manifestations of the disease and contributes to further investigation of the pathogenesis.

The Disease Experience of Women with Granulomatous Lobular Mastitis. A Qualitative Interview Study.

Background: The incidence of granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is increasing year by year, and the breast wounds of women patients with GLM can develop into abscesses, fistulas, sinuses, and sometimes orange-like degeneration similar to malignant tumors, which seriously affects the quality of life of women patients with GLM. In China, breast wounds in women patients with GLM have not been better managed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the disease experience of women patients with GLM, to provide a basis for the development of precise intervention and support strategies for women patients with GLM, and to further improve the quality of nursing management and enrich the research types of GLM. Methods: In this study, 10 cases of GLM women patients from a tertiary hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province were selected by purposive sampling. After obtaining the informed consent of GLM women patients, semi-structured interviews were conducted with GLM women patients using the interview outline to collect qualitative data. The interview was recorded, transcribed verbatim in the local language, and then translated into English, and the content analysis method was used to analyze the data. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (CORE-Q) checklist follows the report 's findings. Results: Our study identified six themes: (a) Perception of the disease, (b) Emotional discomfort (c) Variety of changes (d) Lack of specific skills (e) Coping strategies adopted to rebuild health, (f) Expectation. Conclusion: The experience of women with GLM is characterized by diversity and specificity. After experiencing physical trauma, most patients use support systems to change negative attitudes and rebuild physical and mental health. Family, hospital and society should be fully linked to strengthen the prevention of GLM and the popularization of nursing management knowledge; nurses should provide targeted nursing services. Nursing leaders should improve the medical security system, broaden the medical channels, and reduce the pain experience and pressure of patients.

Case report on gynecomastia with ipsilateral recurrence of granulomatous lobular mastitis.

This study describes a rare case of male granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) with recurrence in different sites on the ipsilateral side. A 48-year-old male patient presented with no previous history of breast-related disease, and physical examination suggested a mass in the right breast. Ultrasonography revealed a cyst and infection in the right breast. No obvious abnormality was found in laboratory analysis, and a core needle biopsy revealed GLM. Incision and drainage were applied to the right lesion, and symptoms resolved within a few weeks. At 2 years following this initial presentation, the patient reported that the right breast mass reappeared in different locations after the consumption of alcohol. Relevant examination and a core needle biopsy again suggested GLM of the right breast. The patient declined hormone therapy and was subsequently lost to follow-up. After reviewing this case, the course of the disease in this patient, and the connection between gynecomastia and GLM, along with ipsilateral recurrence, are under investigation.

Predisposing Factors for Granulomatous Lobular Mastitis: A Case-Control Study.

Background: Despite the rising incidence rate of granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM), uncertainties persist about its etiologic and predisposing factors to guide clinical treatment and early prevention. The objective of this study is to explore the predisposing factors for GLM. Patients and methods: This case-control study was conducted from 2018 to 2021 at Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University. Patients with GLM (cases) were matched with healthy examinees (controls) in a 1:1 ratio according to gender and living area. We analyzed their demographic features and investigated 75 factors that may be relevant to GLM using a standard questionnaire. Univariate and multivariable binary conditional logistic regression analyses were used to compare the differences between the two groups and evaluate the predisposing factors that may induce GLM. Results: There were 594 female GLM patients and 594 matched controls included in the study. The average age of the cases was 32.78 years (mainly 20 to 40). The incidence was high within five years after childbirth, and lesions were mainly in the unilateral breast. Univariate and multivariable conditional logistic regression analyses obtained six relevant factors and six high-risk factors. The six relevant factors included age, marriage, emotional abnormality, high prolactin, psychiatric drug intake, and sex hormone intake. Additionally, the independent high-risk factors for GLM included gestation, nipple invagination, blunt trauma, non-iatrogenic massage, lactation disorder, and nipple discharge (odds ratio (OR)=17.378, 8.518, 4.887, 3.116, 2.522, 1.685, P<0.05). Menopause was an independent protective factor (OR=0.249, P<0.05). Conclusion: The factors that increase milk and secretion production in the mammary duct are the main risk factors of GLM, especially when the nipples are invaginated. These factors can obstruct the duct and induce inflammation. Additionally, hormonal disorders, extrinsic trauma, and emotional abnormalities can accelerate the occurrence of GLM.