A CASE OF PRIMARY MALIGNANT LYMPHOMA OF THE BREAST

Malignant lymphoma of the breast is a rare entity and represents about 1% of all malignant tumors of the breast. It has been said that prognosis of the disease is poorer than those of breast cancers. We experienced a case of the disease in a 31-year-old woman who had multple malignant lymphoma of the breast. The patient was admitted to the hospital because of a tumor of the right breast. Biopsy revealed that the lesion was malignat lymphoma of the breast and a possible diagnosis of non-epithelial malignat tumor could not be ruled out. Modified radical mastectomy was carried out. Based on postoperative permanent preparation and specific stainings the patient was diagnosed as having a B-cell type malignant lymphoma of the breast. Postoperative systemic chemotherapy with CHOP 5 courses was given. After no rucurrence was confirmed by imaging diagnosis, the patient is periodically followed on an ambulant basis. We have often difficulties in dinding any clues of this disease preoperatively not only by palpation and imagings, but also by clinicopathological studies. This paper presents the case as well as some notes on preoperative diagnosis, especially imaging diagnosis based on a review of the relevant literature.