[Primary breast lymphoma: a case report]

Abstract

Background: Non-hodgkinian's lymphoma (NHL) represents 0.04 to 0.53% of all breast cancers. The clinical aspects and therapeutic models of the disease are a subject of debate.

Aim: The purpose of this paper is to report the clinical, imaging (sonographic, mammographic and MRI) and pathological features of breast lymphoma, a rare but aggressive tumor, based on a case report review.

Case report: We report a case of primary non-hodgkinian's lymphoma of the breast in one patient aged of 52 years. The patient went to a systematic screening of breast cancer. Physical examen was normal. Mammography showed breast with transitional density, BIRADS type 2, micro-calcifications behind the.... but sometimes it had linear...., neither not distorsion were identified. Ultrasonography did not show a tumor. The disease was revealed by breast MRI. The additional value of MRI in diagnosis is validated in our patient. In fact, when cancer is occult, size evaluation is difficult at standard imaging (7 mm). The diagnosis of non-hodgkinian's lymphoma was confirmed on histological examination of tumor biopsies. It was a B-cell non-Hodgkins-type lymphoma. The clinical features have been reviewed and the tumor have been evaluated both on a morphologic and an immunohistochemical basis. With chemotherapy, the course was favourable.

Conclusion: The breast is an uncommon site of development of malignant lymphomas. Secondary disease is more common than the primitive form. Primary breast lymphoma is a difficult diagnosis because it is very rare. The diagnosis is mainly histological. Chemotherapy is the principal therapeutic mean. Treatment combines radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Prognosis is generally bad.