Primary breast lymphoma: Case report and literature review

TL;DR

This paper reports a rare case of primary breast lymphoma in a young woman and reviews similar cases, highlighting chemotherapy as a potential treatment.

Contribution

The novelty lies in presenting a case of primary breast lymphoma in a young adult and summarizing findings from ten similar cases.

Findings

Primary breast lymphoma is rare but can occur in young women.

Chemotherapy was used in all cases with mixed outcomes of remission and death.

Large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma was the most common diagnosis in reviewed cases.

Abstract

Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) accounts for a small fraction of breast malignancies and is uncommon in young adults, yet it can lead to significant complications. This report describes a case of PBL in a young female patient. An 18-year-old female presented with a mass in the right breast with fever and sweating. Examination revealed a poorly defined right breast mass. Imaging showed a diffuse infiltrative process, and core biopsy with staining identified the lymphoid origin of the infiltrative disease. Chemotherapy was opted for, and follow-up for months has revealed no complications. Ten cases were reviewed. The mean age was (19.7). The most common symptom was a palpable breast mass(s) (60%). Imaging showed variable signal intensities of the breast masses. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry of tissue biopsies were the main methods of diagnosis. Large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma was the most common diagnosis (60%). Chemotherapy was utilized in all of the cases with variations regarding regimens. Death and remission were seen in near equal proportions (40% vs 50%). Young women are not exempt from primary breast lymphoma, and chemotherapy might offer fruitful outcomes.

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