Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis with Incidental Lobular Carcinoma In Situ: A Case Report

Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is a type of lobular neoplasia within the terminal duct lobular unit, involving more than half of acini. It is mostly diagnosed incidentally and although it is not a malignant lesion, it has an association with malignancy in the future. Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a benign granulomatous disease with few simultaneous reports of malignant lesions in the literature. In this case report, we present a case with LCIS and IGM in a single breast.

A 35-year-old female presented to the breast clinic with complaints of pain and a palpable mass in the right breast. The past medical history, habitual history, drug history, and family history of cancer were negative. Physical examinations showed a palpable mass in the right breast without nipple discharge and retraction and lymphadenopathy and the left breast was intact. Breast imaging showed a right UOQ mass. A core needle biopsy was performed showing LCIS and IGM on the rightside with a positive cytoplasmic reaction for P120 catenin. E-cadherin was negative in LCIS. P63 and CK5/6 immunostainings revealed the presence of myoepithelial cells around ductal and glandular structures. The patient developed erythema nodosum at the time of diagnosis. She was put on prednisolone 50 mg per day and NSAID, and after improvement was maintained on 25 mg daily prednisolone for about 7 months, combined with 3 months of hydroxychloroquine 200 mg twice a day. At the 12-month follow-up, both breasts were completely normal in the physical examination without any mass or skin changes and the right breast mass decreased in size.

Radiologic findings of IGM can be suggestive of other possible causes and silent etiologies like the primary phase of breast cancer and LCIS should not be overlooked.