The harm of plasma cell mastitis, these symptoms have a great impact

Nowadays, more and more women are troubled by breast diseases. Plasma cell mastitis is the most common breast disease. Congenital nipple malformation can also cause plasma cell mastitis. Generally, the symptoms are not obvious in the acute phase, but once it turns into a chronic phase, the harm is serious.

1. Acute phase

The early symptoms are not obvious. There may be spontaneous or intermittent nipple discharge, and secretions will only overflow when squeezed. The discharge is brown or bloody or purulent. This symptom can persist for many years. As the disease progresses, the fatty secretions in the lactiferous ducts decompose, irritate and erode the duct walls and seep into the extraductal mammary stroma, causing an acute inflammatory response. At this time, the skin in the areola area will appear red, swollen, hot and tender. Swollen lymph nodes and tenderness can be felt in the axilla. The whole body may experience symptoms such as chills and high fever. This acute inflammatory symptom will subside soon.

2. Subacute phase

At this stage, the acute inflammation has subsided, and reactive fibrous tissue hyperplasia occurs on the basis of the original inflammatory changes. A lump develops in the areola area that is slightly painful and tender. The edge of the mass is unclear, resembling a breast abscess, and the masses vary in size. Puncture of the tumor can often extract pus. Sometimes the tumor ruptures naturally and forms a pus fistula. After an abscess ruptures or is incised, it may not heal for a long time, or new small abscesses may form again after healing, causing the inflammation to continue to develop.

3. Chronic stage

When the disease recurs, one or more hard nodules with unclear boundaries may appear, mostly located within the areola. They are firm to the touch and adhere to the surrounding tissues. If they are adhered to the skin, the local skin will appear orange peel-like, the nipple will retract, and in severe cases, the breast will be deformed. Serous or bloody discharge may be seen. Axillary lymph nodes may be palpable. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish it from breast cancer clinically. The duration of this stage varies, from several months to several years or longer.

The above clinical manifestations do not develop according to the rules in all patients, that is, the first symptom may not be nipple discharge or acute inflammation. It may be a lump under the areola first, and in the chronic stage, a paraareolar fistula that does not heal for a long time may occur.