Breast lymphoma
Updates to Article Attributes
Breast lymphoma refers to the involvement of the breast with lymphoma and may be primary or secondary.
Epidemiology
Both primary and secondary breast lymphomalymphomas are rare, accounting for ~ 0.5% (range 0.3-1.1%) of all breast malignancies.
Clinical presentation
Breast lymphoma may present either as a palpable mass or as diffuse thickening of the breast. Axillary lymph nodes are often enlarged.
Pathology
Primary breast lymphoma
Primary lymphoma is less common than secondary lymphoma, and is typically a B cell type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the breast represents only ~0.25% (range 0.12-0.53%) of all reported malignant breast tumorstumours.
For a tumour to be labeledlabelled as a primary breast lymphoma it is required to fulfillfulfil the following criteria 5:
- the disease should be in the breast or in close proximity to breast tissue
- no evidence of widespread disease should be there
- no previous history of lymphoma
- ipsilateral lymph nodes may be involved if developing simultaneously with primary breast
tumortumour
Secondary breast lymphoma
Secondary lymphoma of the breast, is also more frequently NHL than Hodgkin lymphoma.
Radiographic features
There is no single imaging finding diagnostic of lymphoma. BiopsyA biopsy is typically required for diagnosis. Enlarged intramammary lymph nodes may be seen, but these are nonspecificcan be seen also in other breast malignancies.
Mammography
It can have variable mammographic appearances but usually, it manifests as a mass or with a diffuse marked increase in parenchymal density (often can be bilateral).
Ultrasound
The sonographic appearance is most often that of a solid hypoechoic mass, which is again nonspecific.
Both radiologic and clinical appearanceappearances are similar to carcinoma and therefore the differential diagnosis is difficult. Microcalcifications are not a usual feature in lymphoma.
MRI
- T1 C+: inhomogeneous enhancement
- dynamic imaging shows rapid enhancement and plateau 10
Differential diagnosis
Mammographic findings are nonspecific and the following should be considered 9:
-<p><strong>Breast lymphoma</strong> refers to involvement of the <a href="/articles/breast">breast</a> with <a href="/articles/lymphoma">lymphoma</a> and may be <strong>primary</strong> or <strong>secondary</strong>.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>Both primary and secondary breast lymphoma are rare accounting for ~ 0.5% (range 0.3-1.1%) of all <a href="/articles/breast-neoplasms">breast malignancies</a>.</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>Breast lymphoma may present either as a palpable mass or as diffuse thickening of the breast. <a href="/articles/axillary-nodes">Axillary lymph nodes</a> are often enlarged.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><h5>Primary breast lymphoma</h5><p>Primary lymphoma is less common than secondary lymphoma, and is typically a B cell type of <a href="/articles/non-hodgkin-lymphoma">non-Hodgkin's lymphoma</a> (NHL). Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the breast represents only ~0.25% (range 0.12-0.53%) of all reported malignant breast tumors.</p><p>For a tumour to be labeled as a primary breast lymphoma it is required to fulfill the following criteria <sup>5</sup>:</p><ul>-<li>disease should be in the breast or in close proximity to breast tissue</li>- +<p><strong>Breast lymphoma</strong> refers to the involvement of the <a href="/articles/breast">breast</a> with <a href="/articles/lymphoma">lymphoma</a> and may be primary or secondary.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>Both primary and secondary breast lymphomas are rare, accounting for ~ 0.5% (range 0.3-1.1%) of all <a href="/articles/breast-neoplasms">breast malignancies</a>.</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>Breast lymphoma may present either as a palpable mass or as diffuse thickening of the breast. <a href="/articles/axillary-nodes">Axillary lymph nodes</a> are often enlarged.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><h5>Primary breast lymphoma</h5><p>Primary lymphoma is less common than secondary lymphoma and is typically a B cell type of <a href="/articles/non-hodgkin-lymphoma">non-Hodgkin's lymphoma</a> (NHL). Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the breast represents only ~0.25% (range 0.12-0.53%) of all reported malignant breast tumours.</p><p>For a tumour to be labelled as a primary breast lymphoma it is required to fulfil the following criteria <sup>5</sup>:</p><ul>
- +<li>the disease should be in the breast or in close proximity to breast tissue</li>
-<li>ipsilateral lymph nodes may be involved if developing simultaneously with primary breast tumor</li>-</ul><h5>Secondary breast lymphoma</h5><p><a href="/articles/secondary-lymphoma-of-the-breast">Secondary lymphoma of the breast</a>, is also more frequently NHL than <a href="/articles/hodgkin-s-lymphoma">Hodgkin lymphoma</a>.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>There is no single imaging finding diagnostic of lymphoma. Biopsy is typically required for diagnosis. Enlarged <a href="/articles/intramammary-lymph-nodes">intramammary lymph nodes</a> may be seen, but these are nonspecific.</p><h5>Mammography</h5><p>It can have variable mammographic appearances but usually it manifests as a mass or with diffuse marked increase in parenchymal density (often can be bilateral).</p><h5>Ultrasound</h5><p>The sonographic appearance is most often that of a solid hypoechoic mass, which is again nonspecific.</p><p>Both radiologic and clinical appearance are similar to carcinoma and therefore the differential diagnosis is difficult. Microcalcifications are not a usual feature in lymphoma.</p><h5>MRI</h5><ul>-<li>-<strong>T1 C+:</strong> inhomogeneous enhancement</li>-<li>dynamic imaging shows rapid enhancement and plateau <sup>10</sup>-</li>-</ul><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><p>Mammographic findings are nonspecific and the following should be considered <sup>9</sup>:</p><ul>- +<li>ipsilateral lymph nodes may be involved if developing simultaneously with primary breast tumour</li>
- +</ul><h5>Secondary breast lymphoma</h5><p><a href="/articles/secondary-lymphoma-of-the-breast">Secondary lymphoma of the breast</a> is also more frequently NHL than <a href="/articles/hodgkin-s-lymphoma">Hodgkin lymphoma</a>.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>There is no single imaging finding diagnostic of lymphoma. A biopsy is typically required for diagnosis. Enlarged <a href="/articles/intramammary-lymph-nodes">intramammary lymph nodes</a> may be seen, but these are can be seen also in other breast malignancies. </p><h5>Mammography</h5><p>It can have variable mammographic appearances but usually, it manifests as a mass or with a diffuse marked increase in parenchymal density (often can be bilateral).</p><h5>Ultrasound</h5><p>The sonographic appearance is most often that of a solid hypoechoic mass, which is again nonspecific.</p><p>Both radiologic and clinical appearances are similar to <a title="Breast carcinoma" href="/articles/breast-neoplasms">carcinoma</a> and therefore the differential diagnosis is difficult. Microcalcifications are not a usual feature in lymphoma.</p><h5>MRI</h5><ul><li>
- +<strong>T1 C+:</strong> inhomogeneous enhancement<ul><li>dynamic imaging shows rapid enhancement and plateau <sup>10</sup>
- +</li></ul>
- +</li></ul><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><p>Mammographic findings are nonspecific and the following should be considered <sup>9</sup>:</p><ul>
Image 1 Pathology (Gross pathology) ( create )
Image 2 Ultrasound ( update )
Image 3 Mammography (MLO) ( update )
Image 4 Mammography (CC) ( update )
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