Does it matter if you leave granulomatous mastitis alone?

Granulomatous mastitis does not heal on its own if left alone, it is important and may recur over time. In the long run patients may develop a breast fistula or breast sinus tract. Granulomatous mastitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs in the breast, mainly invading the lobules of the breast, and the pathologic features of the disease are complicated by the formation of granulomas in the breast tissue. There may be pain in the breast, as well as localized rupture. If granulomatous mastitis is left untreated, the patient’s inflammation may recur, and sometimes the local manifestations heal, but the granulomatous lesions within the mammary glands do not achieve complete healing. In the long term, the patient may develop a breast fistula or sinus tract, which may interfere with breastfeeding and the aesthetic appearance of the breast. If a patient develops granulomatous mastitis, he or she should seek prompt medical attention and be guided by a doctor to adopt the appropriate treatment plan.