Non-specific granulomatous or tuberculous mastitis

The significance of breast tuberculosis is due to rare occurrence and mistaken identity with breast cancer and pyogenic breast abscess. A 70-year-old woman presented with a gradually increasing swelling in the right breast involving the outer upper quadrant since 6 months. Examination of the axilla revealed no lymphadenopathy. FNAC from the lump was inconclusive. Straw-colored discharge from the FNAC site was negative for acid-fast bacilli on Z-N staining and on culture. Modified radical mastectomy was done since malignancy could not be ruled out. Histopathology showed features of granulomatous mastitis. Lymph nodes recovered from the specimen showed caseation necrosis. Anti-tubercular treatment was given to the patient, and she has remained asymptomatic over 1 year of follow-up so far. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis occurring in the breast is extremely rare and is uncommon even in countries where the incidence of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis is high