Axillary lymphadenopathy as a first symptom of diabetic mastopathy

Diabetic mastopathy is an unusual fibroinflammatory breast lesion that characteristically presents in premenopausal women with long-standing type 1 diabetes mellitus. Patients present with clinically suspicious breast masses or axillary lymph nodes with imaging characteristics indistinguishable from malignancy. Fine needle aspiration is often inadequate and a core biopsy should be performed. Excisional biopsy is not necessary, and annual follow-up is recommended. Recognition of diabetic mastopathy should lead to better care of patients with breast nodules or axillary masses who are diabetic, avoiding surgery for this benign condition.