A Case of Male Granulomatous Mastitis Mimicking Breast Cancer

Abstract

A 48-year-old male presented with a painful left mass under the nipple. Although breast cancer was suspected based on imaging findings, granulomatous mastitis was confirmed using a core needle biopsy. The patient underwent the core needle biopsy, resulting in draining the abscess effectively and was followed up for symptomatic improvement. However, the patient returned to our hospital 10 months later with a recurrence. The patient underwent incisional drainage of the abscess, and thereafter, symptoms disappeared quickly. Granulomatous mastitis is a benign mammary gland disease that is mainly observed in young females, with a few reports of males. Granulomatous mastitis imaging findings are similar to those of breast cancer, making it difficult to differentiate between the two. This report presents a rare case of granulomatous mastitis diagnosed in a male patient, along with a literature review.