# A Rare Case of Non-Hodgkin B-Cell Lymphoma Following Invasive Lobular Carcinoma of the Breast: A Case Report

## TL;DR

A woman with a history of breast cancer later developed a rare type of lymphoma in her spleen, highlighting the need for careful diagnosis in cancer patients.

## Contribution

This paper reports a rare case of non-Hodgkin lymphoma following breast cancer, emphasizing diagnostic challenges in oncology.

## Key findings

- A patient with a history of invasive lobular breast cancer later developed follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the spleen.
- Diagnostic imaging and biopsies were essential in distinguishing lymphoma from cancer recurrence.
- The patient is currently in good health with regular follow-up, showing successful management of the condition.

## Abstract

The association between breast cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the spleen is extremely rare, with very few cases documented in the medical literature. We present the case of a 39-year-old woman in good health but with a family history of breast cancer, who, in 2017, developed invasive lobular carcinoma in her right breast, which was treated with mastectomy followed by hormonal therapy. In 2024, she presented with a suspicious right axillary mass, suspected of recurrence, which was confirmed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The patient received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by axillary lymph node dissection and bilateral adnexectomy. CT and PET scans showed suspicious splenic lesions suggestive of metastases. Infectious and hematological tests were negative, leading to the decision to perform laparoscopic splenectomy. Histological examination revealed follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The patient is now in good general condition and is on a biannual follow-up. The case highlights the diagnostic complexity of tumor recurrences and the need to consider alternative diagnoses other than metastasis in oncological patients.