Primary breast lymphoma of childhood: a case report and review of literature

Giulia A Restivo,Angela Trizzino,Marta Pillon,Emanuele S.G D’Amore,Caterina Elia,Giovanna Russo,Paolo D’Angelo,Piero Farruggia,Angela Guarina,Elisa Carraro,Clara Mosa,Lara Mussolin,Maurizio Mascarin,Adriana Zangara,Salvatore Ialuna

doi:10.1186/s12887-021-03002-6

Abstract

BackgroundPrimary breast lymphoma (PBL) is an extremely rare neoplasm in children; by definition, it manifests in the breast without evidence of lymphoma elsewhere, except ipsilateral axillary nodes.Case presentationWe report a case of a 15-year-old girl diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the right breast: the patient received chemotherapy and rituximab, achieving complete remission. A literature review revealed other 11 cases of pediatric PBL; it mainly affects female adolescents and can involve right and left breast equally. Different histologic subtypes have been described, arising from both B-cell and T-cell. Therapeutic approaches were very different, from chemotherapy to local treatment with surgery and/or radiotherapy.ConclusionsOur case is the first in which rituximab was administered, suggesting to be a promising therapy in B-cell PBL, as already demonstrated in pediatric B-cell lymphoma from other sites. Further investigations are needed to identify prognostic factors and establish the most effective treatment.

Highlights

Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is an extremely rare neoplasm in children; by definition, it manifests in the breast without evidence of lymphoma elsewhere, except ipsilateral axillary nodes.Case presentation: We report a case of a 15-year-old girl diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the right breast: the patient received chemotherapy and rituximab, achieving complete remission
Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is an extremely rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL); it represents less than 3% of all extranodal NHL and its onset in childhood is exceptional [4]
We report a case of PBL in a 15-year-old girl, who was treated with chemotherapy plus rituximab

Summary

Conclusions

Our case is the first in which rituximab was administered, suggesting to be a promising therapy in B-cell PBL, as already demonstrated in pediatric B-cell lymphoma from other sites. Further investigations are needed to identify prognostic factors and establish the most effective treatment

Background

Findings

Discussion and conclusion