Primary malignant lymphoma of the breast. Lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue

A rare case of primary breast lymphoma presenting as calcifications on screening mammography

Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (EMZL) is a low-grade subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that can affect any mucosal tissue, most commonly the GI tract. Primary involvement of the breast, known as primary breast lymphoma (PBL), is a very rare manifestation. We report an unusual case of a 65-year-old woman with primary breast EMZL presenting as calcifications discovered during screening mammography. This represents an exceedingly atypical appearance of primary breast lymphoma that is rarely described in the literature.

Metastatic malignant melanoma from anorectum presenting as an isolated breast tumor: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Anorectal malignant melanoma regularly exhibits a biological aggressive behavior which is metastasizing to lung, bone, brain or other organs and tissues early in the course of the disease. Compared with melanoma in the other parts of the body, anorectal malignant melanoma is relatively rare. Metastatic to the breast tissue from anorectal malignant melanoma or from other extra-mammary tumors are very rare.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We report the case of a 65-year-old female who suffering from anorectal malignant melanoma and implemented complete surgical resection. Two years later, a space-occupying lesion in the outer upper quadrant of the right breast was observed on a chest CT.

DIAGNOSIS

The right breast was excised, and breast metastasis of anorectal malignant melanoma was histologically confirmed.

INTERVENTIONS

Radical mastectomy of the right breast was performed, and no lymph nodes or other metastases were observed.

OUTCOMES

The patient's operative course was uneventful. The patient completely recovered and transfers to the oncology department for further treatment.

LESSON

The patient presented with an isolated breast tumor. Duo to Malignant melanoma could mimic many kind of poorly differentiated tumors, it is difficult to diagnose accurately, especially when it appears as an isolated mammary tumor. Because of the treatment measures and prognosis between malignant melanoma and breast cancer are entirely different.

Primary Breast T Cell Lymphoma Involving Nipple-Areolar Complex in a Young Patient

We present a rare case of recurrent primary breast lymphoma involving the nipple-areolar complex and review literature on primary breast lymphoma, its clinical presentation and management. It is diagnosed by histopathology. It needs multimodality management protocols.

Role of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in evaluating breast mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: A case series

Mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the breast is an extremely rare disease; its pathogenesis is not clear because of the rarity of disease, and the best diagnostic method has yet to be established. The metabolic behavior of this lymphoma is not still clear because only a few case reports are present in literature describing the possible role of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) in this field. This report presents 4 cases of women with histologically proven breast MALT lymphoma who underwent 7 18F-FDG PET/CT throughout the course of disease. All patients underwent staging PET/CT showing in all cases an FDG avid lesion corresponding to breast lymphoma; 3 patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT also after chemotherapy. Our results suggest that breast MALT lymphomas are 18F-FDG-avid lymphomas. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography showed heterogeneous but high FDG uptake (mean maximum standardized uptake value 7.9), suggesting that it could be part of diagnostic workup and restaging process.

Asymmetrical F-18 Flurorodeoxyglucose uptake in the breasts: A dilemma solved by patient history

The present case highlights the importance of history taking in solving the dilemmas of variant F-18 FDG uptake on PET/CT. Asymmetrically increased, abnormal looking, FDG uptake in the right breast of our patient was related to her breast feeding practice. Because of personal preference the patient suckled her child from the right breast only. This resulted in asymmetry of size, increase in glandular breast parenchyma and FDG uptake in the breast that was suckled.

Synchronous ipsilateral carcinoma of the accessory mammary gland and primary lymphoma of the breast with subsequent rectal carcinoma: report of a case

A case of synchronous carcinoma of the accessory mammary gland and primary breast lymphoma with subsequent rectal carcinoma has not been reported previously. We present a very rare case of primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the left breast diagnosed simultaneously with invasive lobular carcinoma of the left axillary accessory mammary gland and rectal adenocarcinoma. An 82-year-old Japanese woman presented with two palpable masses on the left chest wall. She was given a diagnosis of suspected breast malignant tumor and axillary accessory mammary gland. She underwent excision of the axillary accessory mammary gland and left mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection. Histopathological examination revealed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the breast and invasive lobular carcinoma of the axillary accessory mammary gland with lymph nodes metastasis. Three months after the surgery, primary rectal adenocarcinoma was also detected by F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. Hartmann’s operation was performed, since which time the patient has been doing well.

[Occult primary MALT lymphoma of the breast diagnosed and treated by reduction mammaplasty. An exceptional case report and review of the literature]

Primary Mucosa-associated Lymphoid Tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the breast is a very rare disease. We report here a case of occult primary MALT lymphoma of the breast diagnosed from a mammaplasty specimen. Primary tumor resection during the mammaplasty surgery was the only treatment of this lymphoma, and there was no recurrence at five years. The clinical and radiologic presentation of primary MALT lymphoma of the breast is similar to epithelial breast carcinoma, and the main diagnostic criteria are microscopic examination and immunohistochemistry. The prognosis of breast primary MALT lymphomas is good after local treatment by surgery and/or radiotherapy, and surgery shouldn't be too aggressive. In this case, no other treatment was indicated after the first surgical procedure. To our knowledge, this is the first case report in the literature of occult primary MALT lymphoma of the breast diagnosed from a mammaplasty specimen. This allows us to highlight the need for systematic microscopic examination of mammaplasty specimens conducted by an experienced pathologist, especially as preoperative examinations are not able to detect all occult breast carcinomas.

Diffuse intense 18F-FDG uptake at PET in unilateral breast related to breastfeeding practice

We present an interesting case of incidental diffuse fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake at PET in her left breast, related to atypical breastfeeding practice. Clinically, differential diagnoses of diffuse intense FDG uptake in unilateral breast include advanced breast cancer, breast lymphoma and inflammatory condition. However, normal physiologic lactation may also show increased FDG uptake in the breasts. Therefore, if we encounter that finding in daily practice, we should question the patient regarding unilateral breastfeeding. In addition, mammography and ultrasound would be helpful to confirm the diagnosis.

Amyloidosis of the breast: predominantly AL type and over half have concurrent breast hematologic disorders

Amyloidosis is a disorder characterized by extracellular deposition of proteins in an abnormal fibrillar configuration. Amyloidosis can be localized or systemic and may affect any organ. Breast involvement by amyloidosis has rarely been reported. In this study, we described the characteristics of 40 cases of breast amyloidosis that were reviewed at the Division of Anatomic Pathology at Mayo Clinic from 1995 to 2011. The cohort included 39 women and 1 man with a mean age of 60 years. The type of amyloidosis, determined by immunohistochemistry or mass spectrometry-based proteomics in 26 patients, was immunoglobulin-associated in all cases (AL-kappa type in 15 (58%) cases, AL-lambda in 10 (38%) and mixed heavy and light chains (AH/AL) in 1 (4%) case). Mass spectrometry-based proteomics was able to determine the type of amyloidosis in 95% of cases tested compared with 69% of cases by immunohistochemistry. In addition to amyloidosis, the breast biopsy showed a hematologic disorder in 55% of cases, most commonly MALT lymphoma. One patient had concurrent intraductal carcinoma, but none had invasive carcinoma. Of the 15 patients seen in our institution, 53% had localized amyloidosis and 47% had extramammary amyloid involvement, which was diagnosed before breast amyloidosis in most patients. M-spike was detected in the blood in 62%. After a median follow-up of 33.5 months in 12 patients, 5 died, mostly of complications of lymphoma or leukemia. In conclusion, our findings indicate that breast amyloidosis is of the AL type in the vast majority of patients (usually kappa). It is associated with systemic amyloidosis in close to half of patients and with hematologic malignancy in the breast in over half of patients. Therefore, further work up to rule out hematologic malignancy and/or systemic amyloidosis is recommended. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics is superior to immunohistochemistry for typing of breast amyloidosis.

Metastatic Melanoma Presenting as an Isolated Breast Tumor: A Study of 20 Cases With Emphasis on Several Primary Mimickers

Context.—The mammary gland can be a site of metastasis in patients with malignant melanoma, which is easily recognized microscopically if clinical information is available. Nonetheless, metastatic melanoma presenting as an isolated mammary tumor can be more challenging to diagnose because it can simulate a primary breast carcinoma clinically and morphologically.

Objective.—To review metastatic melanoma to the breast, presenting as primary breast carcinomas clinically and morphologically.

Design.—The authors report 20 cases of metastatic melanoma clinically presenting as breast tumors. Cases with widespread metastatic presentation were excluded.

Results.—Epithelioid and spindle cell tumors predominated, suggesting mammary ductal, papillary, or sarcomatoid carcinoma. Most cases (16 of 20) were submitted for consultation or second opinion owing to their unusual presentation in the breast, or to perform predictive/prognostic immunohistochemical assays. Seven cases had a remarkable phenotypic spectrum expanding the differential diagnosis to large cell lymphoma, leiomyosarcoma, medullary carcinoma, malignant schwannoma, and liposarcoma. Tumor cells were negative for cytokeratin stains and positive for S100 protein, HMB-45, and Melan-A. Negative staining was also observed for epithelial membrane antigen, CD45, desmin, estrogen and progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2.

Conclusions.—Metastatic melanoma may simulate a broad spectrum of primary breast malignancies. Although the application of a simple panel of antibodies assists in rendering the correct interpretation, lesions presenting as isolated breast tumors may introduce a significant diagnostic difficulty, especially when there is inadequate patient history and/or limited biopsy material. Further challenges are introduced by the extraordinary phenotypic plasticity of metastatic melanoma. Awareness of this pattern variance is essential to avoid inappropriate treatment, especially in cases simulating a “triple negative,” poorly differentiated carcinoma of the breast.

Malignant lymphoma of the breast in a male patient: ultrasound imaging features

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the breast is a rare disease. Herein, we report a rare case of secondary involvement of the breast by NHL in a male patient and the ultrasound imaging findings. A 70-year-old man noticed an induration of the subareolar region of the right breast. He had been diagnosed as having mantle cell lymphoma 5 years before and treated with several series of chemoradiotherapy. On supine examination, palpation revealed bilateral breast enlargement, but detection of a lump was difficult. Ultrasonography showed a hypoechoic non-mass image-forming lesion in the subareolar region of the right breast. The final pathological diagnosis was recurrence of mantle cell lymphoma in the right breast. The diagnosis of malignant lymphoma of the breast by imaging modalities is difficult because there are no specific features. Breast lymphoma should be included with gynecomastia and breast cancer in the differential diagnosis of male patients with breast enlargement.

Primary bilateral Burkitt lymphoma of the lactating breast: a case report and review of the literature

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a highly aggressive neoplasm, which frequently affects the ileocecal region in the sporadic form and the jaw in the endemic form; however, the breast is a rare primary site of this tumor. Here we describe a case of primary bilateral breast BL presenting during lactation in a 23-year-old woman. Excisional biopsy of breast masses demonstrated a B-cell lymphoma with a characteristic 'starry sky' pattern highly suggestive of BL. The neoplastic cells strongly expressed CD20 and CD10, and showed proliferative activity as measured by Ki-67. An IGH-MYC gene fusion indicating the presence of a typical Burkitt translocation t(8;14)(q24;q32) in the tumor tissue was detected by fluorescent in situ hybridization. The present case, along with a comprehensive review of the literature, demonstrates that BL of the breast should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions of the breast during lactation. Whether hormonal or antigenic factors trigger Burkitt lymphomagenesis in the lactating breast warrants further investigation.

Primary breast lymphoma: outcome of 7 patients and a review of the literature

Primary breast lymphomas (PBL) are uncommon neoplasms. Seven PBL were diagnosed between March 1993 and October 2002. A lumpectomy (n=4) or radical mastectomy (n=3) was performed; 5 patients were in clinical stage (CS) II and 2 in CS IV; 6 patients received the CEOP regimen (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, epirubicin and prednisone) after surgery and 4 also had additional radiotherapy; 1 patient did not receive any treatment after local excision. Five patients (71%) achieved complete remission and 2 (29%) partial remission, with an overall response rate of 100%. All remitter patients are alive and well after a median follow-up of 75 months (range 10--121 months). Two patients in partial remission died of progressive disease. After a median follow-up of 99 months (range 84--111 months) for surviving patients, the 10 year overall and disease-free survival rates are both 71%, with 5 patients well and still free of disease. We conclude that the optimal sequence of full-dose anthracycline-containing regimens and radiation therapy should be the treatment of choice for patients with PBL.

Primary lymphomas of the breast: a report on 5 cases studied in a period of 5 years at the Hospital General de México

Breast lymphomas can be primary or secondary. Among the primary lymphomas, the most common histologic types are the large B-cell diffuse lymphomas and the extranodal B mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue lymphomas. We studied 5 cases of primary breast lymphoma in female patients. The criteria for the diagnosis were based on the proposal of Wiseman and Liao: (1) in the biopsy or surgical specimen, the lymphoma involves the breast parenchyma, and (2) nonsystemic disease at diagnosis. Clinical data, histologic findings, immunohistochemical reactions, treatment, and clinical follow-up were reviewed. The 5 patients were young women with average age of 27 years; the youngest was 20 years old, and the oldest was 44 years old. The right breast was the most affected, and 1 patient was HIV positive. The most common symptoms were the presence of nodes, progressive increase of volume, collateral venous network, and hemorrhagic discharge from the nipple. The clinical course was of 1 to 14 months before diagnosis. Three patients died because of central nervous system infiltration, one is still alive, and the other was lost during follow-up. Histologically, all primary breast lymphomas were large B-cell lymphomas; one had focal starry sky pattern, and the other 3 were centroblastic. All were positive to CD20 and CD79(a), 3 expressed bcl2, and 2 expressed bcl6. The proliferation index was between 60% and 80%. Primary breast lymphomas are rare. The average age of our patients was 27 years, and their clinical course was aggressive with central nervous system infiltration. The most common histologic type was the large B-cell diffuse lymphoma. Differential diagnosis must be established in the presence of poorly differentiated lobules and ductal carcinoma.

A 12-year-old girl presenting with bilateral gigantic Burkitt's lymphoma of the breast

The female breast rarely constitutes the primary localization for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The incidence of primary breast lymphoma (PBL) lies between 0.04 and 1.1% for all breast tumors and 1.7-2.2% for all extranodal NHL. Mostly it occurs during the child-bearing period, during pregnancy or lactation. In general, children between the ages of 8 and 10 years are most frequently affected by Burkitt's lymphoma. Methods for classification, detection and especially treatment of this condition continue being a subject of discussions and research. We present and evaluate the rare case of a 12-year-old girl with bilateral gigantic breast tumors treated during a surgical mission with "Doctors without borders" (MSF, "médecins sans frontiers") in the zone of civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The monstrous bilateral breast hypertrophy, symmetrical, rapidly growing, consequently ulcerating and severely bleeding had to be treated by bilateral mastectomy as a salvage procedure. Examinations through histopathology was not feasible and other facilities like ultrasound, CT, MRI and further laboratory examinations were not available.. The patient died 27 days after the surgical procedure. The histological result received by later examination in Germany showed a bilateral high malignant B cell lymphoma (Burkitt lymphoma) of the breast.

Low-grade mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma involving the kidney: report of 3 cases and review of the literature

Low-grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue involving the kidney is rare. We report a series of 3 cases. The first case occurred in an 83-year-old woman who presented with back pain. The second case was a 53-year-old man with a history of sarcoidosis who was found, in the course of evaluation of sarcoidosis, to have a right renal mass. The third case occurred in a 72-year-old man who had a history of periorbital mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and had been treated with surgery and radiation 1 year prior to this presentation. Histologically, all 3 patients showed infiltrate of uniform small-to-medium-sized lymphocytes with irregular nuclear contours and abundant cytoplasm resembling centrocytes or monocytoid lymphoid cells. The first patient received chemotherapy without complications. The second patient underwent a partial nephrectomy and was asymptomatic at the subsequent follow-up. The third patient developed a pulmonary embolism following nephrectomy, and further follow-up is not available.

Primary breast lymphoma cytologic diagnosis

Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the breast is a rare pathology, and bilateral involvement is exceptional. We report a case of bilateral primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the breast in a 40-year-old woman. Predominantly atypical lymphocytes and rare plasma cells were found in the microscopic evaluation of the fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the right and left breasts. Microscopic findings of the incisional biopsy of the left breast were in accordance with non-Hodgkin diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The patient received systemic chemotherapy and is alive with no evidence of recurrence for 2 years.

F-18 FDG positron emission tomography in non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the breast

The breast is an uncommon site of development of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Both primary and secondary involvement of the breast have been reported. A 36-year-old woman diagnosed with NHL underwent multimodality imaging for staging of the disease. CT of the chest revealed no significant abnormalities. Whole-body FDG PET imaging showed intense FDG uptake in the left breast. Cytologic examination confirmed breast involvement by diffuse large B-cell NHL. Although rare, breast involvement characterized by increased FDG uptake can occur in patients with lymphoma. This case highlights the role of FDG PET in patients with suspected lymphoma in dense breasts that can be missed by CT scan and mammogram.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the Breast: A Report of 19 Cases and a Review of the Literature

PURPOSE

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the breast represents 0.04%-0.50% of malignant lesions of the mammary gland. In this article, we report a single institution's experience with this rare disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between 1982 and 1997, 19 patients with breast lymphoma were diagnosed, treated, and followed at this institution.

RESULTS

There were 18 female patients and 1 male patient. All but one were cases of aggressive B-cell lymphoma. Ann Arbor stages were IE (n=5), IIE (n=9), IIIE (n=2), and IV (n=3). International Prognosis Index scores were 0 (n=2), 1 (n=8), 2 (n=7), and 3 (n=2). According to the Wiseman and Liao classification established in 1972, 11 cases were primary lymphomas of the breast, and 8 cases were secondary involvement of the breast. Median survival time was 21.5 months (range, 5.1-114.7 months). The 5-year overall survival was 29%. Median event-free survival time was 8.3 months. The clinical, radiologic, and histologic patterns of presentation match previously published data, even if the response rates and the survival times seem disappointing, probably because of the initial treatment by tumorectomy or mastectomy for some patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Systemic chemotherapy should be the mainstay of treatment. Based on our experience and a review of the literature, the use of Wiseman and Liao's classification is questionable. In fact, it fails to detect whether some lymphomas of the breast present a specific natural history and therefore require specific management. New clinical and histologic criteria are to be identified.

Primary T-lymphoma of the breast with bilateral involvement, unusual presentation

Primary or secondary involvement of the breast is a rare form of extranodal lymphoma. Most reported primary non-Hodgkin lymphomas of the breast have a B-cell phenotype, those of T-cell phenotype are even more rare. Bilateral breast involvement at diagnosis also is very rare. We herein report a young female patient with bilateral breast involvement by low-grade T-cell malignant lymphoma.

Primary mammary (non-Hodgkin) lymphoma presenting as locally advanced breast cancer

Primary mammary lymphoma is a rare tumor that presents commonly as a large mass with no specific mammographic appearance and can be confused with poorly differentiated carcinoma on frozen section. With appropriate treatment, this breast malignancy has a relatively good prognosis. We report a case of primary mammary non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a 74-year-old woman that originally presented as locally advanced breast cancer with secondary inflammatory skin changes. Clinical findings, diagnostic work-up, and follow-up are provided along with a review of the literature on primary mammary lymphoma.

Primary Lymphoma of the Breast: A Case of Marginal Zone B-Cell Lymphoma

A case of primary marginal zone B-cell lymphoma in an elderly female patient is presented. Primary breast lymphomas are rare, comprising less than 1 per cent of all breast malignancies. These tumors have no clinical, pathologic, or radiologic pathognomonic features to distinguish them from breast adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis is usually made with an excisional biopsy, and more extensive surgery should be avoided. Delivery of radiation therapy and chemotherapy is tailored according to the histologic grade, stage of disease, and overall patient condition. This report summarizes the current knowledge reflected in the literature.

A Unique Collision Tumor in Breast

We report an extraordinary case of a collision tumor consisting of invasive ductal carcinoma with adjacent malignant lymphoma presenting as a single mass in the breast. A 79-year-old woman presented with a breast mass. A core biopsy performed at an outside hospital was interpreted as medullary carcinoma. On review of the breast core biopsy, a diagnosis of a synchronous malignant lymphoma and invasive ductal carcinoma was rendered. The patient underwent lumpectomy and axillary dissection. The excised specimen revealed a 2.1-cm, moderately differentiated invasive ductal carcinoma, partially surrounded by malignant lymphoma with areas where both tumors were intermixed. All 27 axillary lymph nodes were extensively involved by lymphoma, and 1 lymph node demonstrated metastatic carcinoma. The morphology and results of immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and cytogenetic analysis were consistent with extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue.

Primary breast lymphoma

Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is a rare form of localized extranodal lymphoma. Few reports are available in the literature concerning its treatment and outcome. Of the 34 cases of PBL seen at our institution over a 25-year period, 20 consecutive cases were treated with CHOP or CHOP-like chemotherapy regimen and had adequate biopsy specimens for histological review. All these 20 PBL were of B-cell origin including one case of Burkitt lymphoma, and 2 cases of low-grade histologic type. Sixteen of the 20 patients achieved a complete remission (CR) and 2 achieved a partial remission (PR) (>75% tumor regression). Two patients had progressive disease while on therapy. With a median follow-up period of 80 months, 6 patients relapsed. Median time to relapse from diagnosis was 23 months (range, 3-41 months). Two of the relapses involved the central nervous system (CNS): isolated CNS relapse in one case and associated with other relapse sites in 1 case. The two patients who achieved a PR after chemotherapy also had disease progression to the CNS, 4 and 8 months after the end of CHOP chemotherapy. All 4 patients died of their disease 3, 6, 10 and 13 months after CNS involvement. Of the 16 centroblastic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLCL), 3 had CNS disease at relapse. Three (15%) of our study patients developed a controlateral breast relapse. Twelve of the initial 20 patients were alive, including 11 with a persistent CR, 6 patients died of their lymphoma and 2 of unrelated diseases. In conclusion, we observed a high incidence of CNS relapse in this group of localized extranodal lymphoma, strongly suggesting that CNS prophylaxis should be associated with systemic chemotherapy in localized PLB.

Primary T-cell lymphoma of the breast: a case report

Primary nonHodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) occurs in both nodal and extranodal sites. Lymphoma arising in mammary tissue is rare. The majority are of B-cell origin, while a few case studies of T-cell lymphomas of the breast have been reported. The clinical and histologic features of a 74-year-old female diagnosed with T-cell mammary lymphoma are reported, as well as her treatment course and follow-up. A literature review is included. We conclude primary low-grade T cell lymphoma of the breast can be treated with conservative surgery followed by involved field radiation therapy.

High frequency of MALT lymphoma in a series of 14 cases of primary breast lymphoma

This article reports the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical findings of 14 cases fulfilling the criteria of Wiseman and Liao for primary lymphoma of the breast (PBL), with emphasis on the frequency of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas. The tumors were reclassified according to the revised European-American classification of lymphoid neoplasms. Immunohistochemistry was used to assist in the classification and subtyping of PBL, to demonstrate lymphoepithelial lesions (LEL), and to assess estrogen/progesterone receptor expression. Nine tumors were classified as MALT lymphomas (seven low grade and two high grade), four as diffuse large cell lymphomas and one as follicle center lymphoma. Extensive lymphoid cell infiltration of mammary ducts and acini was also found in non-MALT lymphoma cases. None of the 14 cases expressed hormonal receptors. Primary lymphoma of the breast is a rare and morphologically heterogeneous entity. There is similarity on the clinicopathologic overall profile of the current series of patients and those previously reported, but we recorded a higher incidence of MALT lymphoma (64.3%). Immunohistochemistry is mandatory to identify "true" LEL because epithelial permeation by lymphoid cells can also be found in non MALT-type lymphomas.

Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the breast: The Mayo Clinic Experience

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

To retrospectively evaluate the characteristics, natural history, results of treatment, and prognostic factors for patients diagnosed with primary breast lymphoma.

METHODS

Between 1973 and 1998, 25 women and 1 man with the diagnosis of primary breast non-Hodgkin lymphoma (PNHLB) were seen at Mayo Clinic Rochester and Mayo Clinic Scottsdale. Patient characteristics, treatment methods, and outcome were analyzed.

RESULTS

The median follow-up for surviving patients was 6.6 years (range: 1.8-22.1 years). There were 11 low-grade NHL, 13 intermediate-grade NHL, and 2 high-grade NHL. Three patients underwent mastectomy while 23 had local excision. The Ann Arbor stage of disease included: Stage I-21 patients, Stage II-5 patients. Sixteen patients received radiation after surgery (15 after biopsy, 1 after mastectomy). Chemotherapy was given to 10 patients as part of the initial treatment. Four patients with low-grade disease were treated with excision only. The 5-year overall survival rate was 70% and relapse-free survival rate 42%, while local control rate was 75% and distant control rate 51%. Five-year survival and relapse-free survival rates for patients with low-grade disease were 91 and 61%, respectively. Three of four patients with low-grade disease treated with excision alone were free of local recurrence. For intermediate- and high-grade PNHLB, 5-year survival rate was 61% for those treated with chemotherapy, compared to 31% for those without chemotherapy (P = 0.35), and the 5-year relapse-free survival rates were 49%, compared to 0%, respectively (P = 0.0017). Three patients with intermediate- or high-grade disease developed central nervous system (CNS) dissemination. On univariate analysis, Ann Arbor stage was the only significant prognostic factor for survival (P = 0.0021).

CONCLUSIONS

The management of PNHLB should be based on histologic grade. Patients with low-grade disease may be managed with local therapy alone. The role of chemotherapy in this group is unclear. Patients with intermediate- or high-grade disease have better outcome if chemotherapy is included. An unusual site of distant dissemination for these patients is the CNS. The only significant prognostic factor for survival is Ann Arbor stage.

Lymphomas of the breast: primary and secondary involvement

BACKGROUND

The involvement of the breast by lymphoma is a rare form of extralymph node lymphoma and represents either primary disease or systemic involvement. The authors hypothesized that screening mammography may influence the detection of lymphomatous involvement of the breast.

METHODS

All patients (n = 81 patients) who were diagnosed with lymphomatous involvement of the breast at the study institution between 1988 and 1999 were evaluated retrospectively.

RESULTS

Clinical information was available for 73 patients who could be classified into three major groups according to their diagnosis: primary breast lymphoma (PBL) (44%), breast involvement from disseminated disease at the time of initial diagnosis (29%), and recurrence of preexisting lymphoma to the breast (27%). The majority of PBL were of intermediate or high grade, and the majority of disseminated lymphomas involving the breast were of low grade. Lymphomatous recurrence to the breast was slightly more likely to be of intermediate grade rather than low grade. In 91% of patients, the diagnosis of lymphoma was made after the evaluation of a palpable mass. All patients who were identified after the evaluation of an abnormal screening mammogram (9%) had low-grade lymphomas. Of the 32 patients with PBL, screening mammography discovered only 1. Nineteen percent of patients with PBL also had a history of an autoimmune disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that screening mammography has not altered substantially the detection of breast lymphoma. The clinical outcome of patients with breast lymphoma is dependent on histology and appears to parallel that of patients with lymphoma of similar histology involving other sites.

MALT lymphoma originating in breast and uvula

A case of marginal zone B cell lymphoma of MALT type arising in the uvula and breast is reported. The patient, a 30-year-old woman who delivered a child and lactated in 1997, was suffering from Sjögren syndrome (SS). She was diagnosed with MALT lymphoma after a biopsy of the right breast and uvula. To investigate the relationship of the delivery, lactation and MALT lymphoma, we examined the immunohistochemical analysis of hormone receptors. As a result, lymphoid cells of the breast were stained with anti-progesterone receptor antibodies in the cytoplasm. Consequently, the MALT lymphoma of the uvula appeared to be associated with SS. Moreover, hormones such as progesterone may have influenced the breast involvement of MALT lymphoma in our case.

Bilateral primary breast lymphoma

A primary breast lymphoma developed in a patient. After 139 months. she was diagnosed with a new primary breast lymphoma in the contralateral breast. The pathologic diagnosis in each tumor was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, B-cell, diffuse large cell. Radiation therapy was effective in securing a clinical remission for both tumors.

Dermatologic diseases of the breast and nipple

Breast and nipple skin is commonly affected by various inflammatory and neoplastic processes. Despite this fact, many physicians are unaware of the spectrum of diseases that can involve this area. Because breast and nipple skin represents a cosmetically, sexually, and functionally important entity to most patients, awareness of these disease entities is invaluable. This article reviews the normal anatomy of the breast, cutaneous manifestations of neoplastic processes that can present in these areas, and common inflammatory diseases of the breast and nipple skin.

Breast involvement in immunolymphoproliferative disorders: report of two cases of multiple myeloma of the breast

Breast involvement by immunolymphoproliferative disorders is rare. Primary and secondary malignant lymphomas of the breast are much more common than multiple myeloma, of which only 16 cases have been described. We report two cases of patients with an established diagnosis of multiple myeloma in whom breast involvement appeared during the course of the disease. We underline diagnostic difficulties caused by the lack of clinical and radiological features which allow us to differentiate between breast carcinoma and breast involvement by lymphoproliferative disease. Only fine needle aspiration and/or excisional biopsy can differentiate between immunolymphoproliferative disorders and epithelial or mesenchymal tumors of the breast.

Nonmammary malignancies of the breast: ultrasound, CT, and MRI

The three major categories of nonmammary malignancies of the breast include primary and secondary lymphoreticular malignancy, primary and secondary sarcoma, and hematogenous metastasis. This article describes the imaging features of 35 nonmammary malignancies of the breast and axilla with histopathologic confirmation. These include primary and secondary breast lymphoma, primary axillary nodal lymphoma, metastatic acute lymphatic leukemia, metastatic plasmacytoma, granulocytic sarcoma, primary angiosarcoma, metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma, hematogenous metastasis from primary lung, ovarian, cervical, thyroid, and colonic carcinoma, malignant melanoma, carcinoma of the nasal cavity, and adenocarcinoma of unknown primary. Wherever possible, correlation between mammography and ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and/or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is made.

Treatment of prognosis of primary breast lymphoma: a review of 13 cases

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of the breast is a rare entity that does not have a well-defined treatment strategy. At presentation, most patients are clinically thought to have a primary breast carcinoma, and the diagnosis of lymphoma is made at biopsy. Once the diagnosis of lymphoma is made, patients are treated with some combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. We review The Cleveland Clinic Foundation experience with primary breast lymphoma. Between 1980 and 1996, 17 patients with primary breast lymphoma were seen at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and 13 had follow-up information available. All patients underwent a staging workup including computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis, as well as bilateral bone marrow biopsies; all patients staged IE (breast involvement only) or IIE (limited to the breast and ipsilateral axilla) were included. We did not include patients with more extensive supradiaphragmatic nodal involvement who were stage IIE. Patients received some combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. The median follow-up was 34 months, with a range of 7 to 138 months. There was an equal incidence of right- versus left-sided lesions. Five patients survived at least 5 years from the time of diagnosis. Long-term survival in patients with primary NHL of the breast is possible. We recommend treating patients with aggressive NHL of the breast with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy, followed by involved field radiation and treating those patients with indolent lymphoma with involved field radiation alone.

T-cell lymphoma presenting in the breast: a histologic, immunophenotypic and molecular genetic study of four cases

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the breast is uncommon. Most primary breast lymphomas are of B-cell phenotype, with only rare cases showing a T-cell phenotype. In this study, we report the clinicopathologic features of four cases of T-cell lymphoma in the breast. The patients all were female with a mean age of 48 years (range, 13 to 77 years). All cases showed immunoreactivity in paraffin-embedded tissue for T-cell markers CD3, CD45RO, and CD43. beta F1 was positive in three of four cases. The four cases were further subclassified as anaplastic large cell lymphoma (CD30 positive) of T-immunophenotype; natural killer/T-cell lymphoma; peripheral T-cell (CD4 positive), large cell type; and peripheral T-cell (CD8 positive, T-cell intracellular antigen positive), medium cell type. Three of the four cases were monoclonal for T-cell receptor beta and/or T-cell receptor gamma. The one case of natural killer/T-cell lymphoma was negative for monoclonality with both T-cell receptor beta and gamma by molecular diagnostic studies. In all cases, IgH was negative. Follow-up was obtained in three cases. Two patients died within less than 1 year after the diagnosis. The third patient died within 18 months of the diagnosis. Our results suggest an aggressive clinical course for T-cell lymphomas that present in the breast.

Gallium-67 scintigraphic findings in a patient with breast lymphoma complicated with Sjögren syndrome

We report here a patient with mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-lymphoma of the breast complicated with Sjögren syndrome. It is speculated that Ga-67 could accumulate not only in lymphoma lesions but also in benign lymphoproliferative locations of Sjögren syndrome. Gallium-67 scintigraphy might be useful for the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of MALT-lymphoma complicated with Sjögren syndrome.

Lymphoma of the breast. A clinicopathologic study of primary and secondary cases

BACKGROUND

Primary lymphomas of the breast are rare, accounting for 1.7% to 2.2% of extranodal lymphomas and 0.38% to 0.7% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Although secondary breast lymphomas are also rare, they represent the largest group of metastatic tumors of the breast.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the clinicopathologic and immunophenotypic characteristics of breast lymphomas, the relative frequency of primary and secondary mammary lymphomas, and in selected cases, the role of gene rearrangement analysis in diagnosis and staging of these lymphomas.

RESULTS

We conducted a retrospective review of 22 cases of breast lymphoma diagnosed at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich, during a 30-year period (1963-1994). Eleven of the 22 cases fulfilled the criteria for primary breast lymphoma; these cases represented 0.6% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas seen in our hospital. Of the 11 cases, 5 were diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, 2 were follicle center lymphomas, 2 were marginal zone B-cell lymphomas (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type), 1 was a lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma, and 1 was a peripheral B-cell neoplasm, unclassified. Using a panel of immunohistochemical stains (CD45RO, CD45RA, CD43, CD3, CD20, CD30, CD68, and HLA-DR), 8 cases demonstrated unequivocal B-cell phenotype and 3 cases had equivocal or weak staining patterns for B-cell markers. We identified no cases of T-cell lymphoma. Of 7 cases that had bone marrow biopsies for staging, 3 were positive morphologically for bone marrow involvement. Molecular analysis of B- and T-cell gene rearrangement was used to exclude bone marrow involvement in one case with bone marrow lymphoid aggregates and to confirm negativity in a case that was morphologically negative. Of the 11 secondary breast lymphomas, 5 were diffuse large B-cell lymphomas; 1 was diffuse large B-cell, primary mediastinal subtype; and 5 were follicle center lymphomas.

CONCLUSIONS

Breast lymphomas represented 1.2% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas in this study; the frequency of primary and secondary cases was equal. In both groups, right breast lesions were predominant, and the most frequent morphologic type was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Gene rearrangement analysis is helpful in selected cases to rule out bone marrow involvement, especially in older patients, in whom lymphoid aggregates are common.

Primary lymphoma of the breast: breast mass as an initial symptom

Seven patients with lymphoma presenting as a breast mass are described. Four of them fulfilled the criteria for primary lymphoma of the breast, and three had evidence of secondary lymphoma of the breast. Two patients were diagnosed with stage IAE disease, and both did well with local treatment with or without chemotherapy. Two patients were diagnosed with stage IIAE disease; both had distant failure without systemic chemotherapy. Although local treatment is curative in a subset of stage IAE disease, combination chemotherapy followed by local radiation is a safer approach. For stage IIAE disease, combination chemotherapy and local radiation therapy should be considered.

Lymphoma at uncommon sites

Lymphoma can often present in unusual situations. This article provides a comprehensive review of the literature in which both non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease are discussed.

Primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the Male Breast: A Case Report

A 69-year-old Japanese man presented with bilateral gynecomastia and a soft, mobile and clearly defined mass beneath the left nipple. A round radiopaque masswas revealed on mammography. The tumor was homogeneous, hypoechoic and measured2.4 x 3.9 cm on ultrasonography. Based on a diagnosis of malignant lymphoma by needle aspiration cytology, a modified radical mastectomy with ipsilateral axillary lymph node dissection was performed. Malignant diffuse large B-cell type lymphoma was diagnosed histologically. Whole body examinations revealed no evidenceof other tumors. Three courses of adjuvant CHOP therapy were subsequently performed. The patient is free of recurrence 12 months after surgery. Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of the male breast is extremely rare. The occurrence of lymphoma in this patient could be related to elevated estrogen levels.