Primary Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma of the Breast

Abstract

Lymphomas constitute approximately 0.15% of malignant mammary neoplasms. Less than 0.5% of all malignant lymphomas involve the breast primarily. Primary non-Hodgkin breast lymphoma is usually right sided. The combined therapy approach, with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, is the most successful treatment. Mastectomy offers no benefit in the treatment of primary non-Hodgkin breast lymphoma. To the author's knowledge, this is the first published case of primary non-Hodgkin breast lymphoma reported with conventional ultrasonography, elastography (both freehand and acoustic radiation force impulse imaging), digital mammography, contrast-enhanced digital mammography, and pathology findings. A 45-year-old woman presented with a lump in the right breast for 2 months. There was no evidence of systemic lymphoma or leukemia when the breast lesion was detected. Imaging findings were negative for lymphoma. Ipsilateral lymph nodes were not palpable. The mass was resected, and histopathology findings were diagnostic of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Immunohistochemistry was confirmatory of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, diffuse large cell type of B-cell lineage. Although primary and secondary lymphomas of the breast are rare entities, they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of breast malignancies.