Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the breast. A case report

Abstract

Abstract Background Primary breast lymphomas, a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, represent 0.04–0.5% of all breast cancers, 0.38–0.7% of all lymphomas, and 1.7–2.2% of extranodal lymphomas. The treatment choice is based on chemotherapy containing anthracycline and rituximab. Surgery is limited to being less invasive and only for diagnostic purposes. Radiotherapy has an important role as consolidation therapy, particularly in patients with negative nodes. Clinical case A 70 year old woman with a breast nodule in the left upper outer quadrant, with slow growth, expansive, painless, and accompanied by skin changes, malaise, weight loss, fatigue, chill, and sweating. There was tissue replacement by the mammary gland tumour, skin changes due to invasion, and a 5 cm axillary lymphadenopathy. The mammography showed skin thickening and a dense pattern of 80% of breast tissue replacement, and the lymphadenopathy with loss of radiolucent centre and soft tissue invasion. The biopsy confirmed a diffuse high grade large cell lymphoma. She received an rituximab (R-CHOP) chemotherapy scheme and radiotherapy with tangential and supraclavicular and axillary fields. After completing the chemotherapy, the patient is on follow-up, and at 15 months she is alive without disease activity. Conclusions Primary lymphoma of the breast is a rare entity. Multimodal treatment with combined chemo-radiotherapy is the cornerstone. Surgery is reserved only for diagnostic purposes.