Primary lymphoma of the breast.

Abstract

We describe a case of primary lymphoma of the breast which clinically mimicked a phyllodes tumor. The diagnosis and treatment of this rare neoplasm are discussed. The lymphomas, neoplasias of the immune system, comprise a large group of proliferative diseases of the lymphoreticular tissue which are classified into two histological types, i.e., Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin. Primary lymphomas of the breast are quite rare, with an incidence ranging from 0.4 to 0.53% of all malignant breast tumors (2). They are characterized by uni- or bilateral involvement of the breast, with or without homolateral axillary lymphadenopathy, and by the absence of lymphatic disease at another site (7). We report here a case of primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the left breast and we discuss its clinical aspects and the treatment instituted.