Primary Malignant Lymphoma of the Breast: Report of two cases

ABSTRACT

Primary malignant lymphoma of the breast constitutes less than 1% of malignant breast neoplasms. There is general agreement that this lymphoma is usually of a non-Hodgkin's histology. Unfortunately, failure to recognize this possibility may result in unnecessarily radical surgery. Radical surgery is to be avoided and radiation therapy with limited surgery provides exellent local regional control. The addition of systemic, combined chemotherapy is warranted in the more aggressive histologic subtypes because death is generally due to subsequently disseminated disease. We present case reports for a 33-year-old and a 38-year-old female with malignant, large cell type, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diffuse, of the right breast who were treated with a modified radical masectomy and lumpectomy with ipsilateral axillary dissection at Holy Family Hospital, College of Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea.