Could Intralesional Steroid be the Novel Treatment for Granulomatous Mastitis? (IGM)

August 19, 2025 updated by: Emine Yıldırım, Gaziosmanpasa Research and Education Hospital

Comparison of the Efficiency of Systemic Therapy and Intralesional Steroid Administration in the Treatment of Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis

Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a rare, benign inflammatory breast disease that mimics malignancy owing to its features of appearance.In our research, we intended to compare the efficiency of local (intralesional) steroid administration with systemic (peroral) steroid. A total of 36 patients who had been histopathologically diagnosed with IGM and whose other factors had been microbiologically excluded were included in the study. The patients were randomized into two sub-groups that would be treated with systemic and local steroids. Of the patients, 19 were administered with 0.5-1 mg/kg/day peroral systemic steroid, and 17 were administered with 40-200 mg/ml intralesional local steroid regarding the severity of the lesion. All patients were evaluated through physical examination one week after the completion of the treatment. Subsequently, the follow-up of the patients was performed thorough physical examination and ultrasonography and/or magnetic resonance imaging at the 1st, 3rd, and 6th months.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The research was designed as a prospective randomized-controlled study.Prior to the study, approval was obtained from the local ethics committee of our hospital (reg.:162)The diagnosis of all patients was carried out through physical examination, imaging, and histopathology. Prior to the treatment, microbiological analysis was conducted concurrently with the biopsy.Patients who had contraindications with the use of steroids, those with active infections, as well as patients who were pregnant, and who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, were not included in the study. The patients were sub-divided into two groups as Group S (systemic-peroral steroid) and Group L (local-intralesional steroid) by using the sealed envelope randomization method. Group S: Medication of oral methylprednisolonewas administered to the patients following the adjustment based on the severity of the lesion and regarding the clinic. The prednisolone dose was 0.5 mg/kg/day in patients with painful, small (<5.0 cm) unilateral lesions whereas in multiple, bilateral lesions with the diameter of ≥5 cm or for those who had significant cutaneous ulceration, the prednisolone dose was specified as 1 mg/kg/day. Patients were informed about potential adverse effects. The medication was completed by reducing the dose. Patients in the systemic steroid group were advised to receive the medication after eating, to restrict salt and sugar consumption throughout the treatment, to quit smoking if they are using, and a proton pump inhibitor was started.Group L: Triamcinolone acetonidewas administered to the patients through injecting inside the lesion.The occurrence of systemic adverse effects in the course of the treatment was considered as the reason to discontinue the medication in all groups. Follow-up examinations of all patients at the 6th month were regarded as the endpoint of the treatment. As a consequence, it can be stated that the local (intralesional) steroid administration is also a treatment method, which is comparable to systemic steroid administration and had similar side effects. Nonetheless, it will be appropriate to promote this method by performing studies, which involve a larger population with more patients, and which is also long termed.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
36

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Istanbul
      • Gaziosmanpaşa, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye), 34255
        • emine Yildirim

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who were diagnosed with IGM as histopathologically

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who had contraindications with the use of steroids, those with active infections, as well as patients who were pregnant, and who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, were not included in the study.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Group S (systemic-peroral steroid)
Medication of oral methylprednisolonewas administered to the patients following the adjustment based on the severity of the lesion and regarding the clinic. The prednisolone dose was 0.5 mg/kg/day in patients with painful, small (<5.0 cm) unilateral lesions whereas in multiple, bilateral lesions with the diameter of ≥5 cm or for those who had significant cutaneous ulceration, the prednisolone dose was specified as 1 mg/kg/day
Procedure: steroid injecting
Group L: Triamcinolone acetonide was administered to the patients through injecting inside the lesion.Group S: Oral methylprednisolone was administered to the patients.
Experimental: Group L (local-intralesional steroid)
Triamcinolone acetonidewas administered to the patients through injecting inside the lesion. The practice was based on the dose of TCA administered in acute and chronic inflammatory skin lesions. If the lesion is single-focused and small (<5.0 cm), 20mg / mL TCA was injected and if the lesion is multifocal or large (>5.0 cm) then 40mg / mL TCA was injected into the lesion with the guidance of ultrasonography
Procedure: steroid injecting
Group L: Triamcinolone acetonide was administered to the patients through injecting inside the lesion.Group S: Oral methylprednisolone was administered to the patients.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Clinical response to the treatment
Time Frame: 6 month
Observational evaluation of the changes in terms of inflammation signs (hyperemia, edema, fever)
6 month
Changes in the size of the mass
Time Frame: 6 month
The area of a mass captured by ultrasonography was calculated in cm^2 and the change in size was reported as a percentage
6 month

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Gaziosmanpasa Research and Education Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 19, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 15, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 17, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 23, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 15, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 22, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 26, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 19, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 95775

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Abstracts

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

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