Primary lymphoma of the breast.

We describe a case of primary lymphoma of the breast which clinically mimicked a phyllodes tumor. The diagnosis and treatment of this rare neoplasm are discussed. The lymphomas, neoplasias of the immune system, comprise a large group of proliferative diseases of the lymphoreticular tissue which are classified into two histological types, i.e., Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin. Primary lymphomas of the breast are quite rare, with an incidence ranging from 0.4 to 0.53% of all malignant breast tumors (2). They are characterized by uni- or bilateral involvement of the breast, with or without homolateral axillary lymphadenopathy, and by the absence of lymphatic disease at another site (7). We report here a case of primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the left breast and we discuss its clinical aspects and the treatment instituted.

[Relation of hepatitis B virus markers in the serum and hepatic tissue in chronic carriers of HBsAg]. / Relação entre marcadores do vírus da hepatite B (VHB) no soro e no tecido hepático em pacientes portadores crônicos do HBsAg.

The authors studied 23 chronic carriers of HBsAg, to classify them in terms of serology, histopathologic findings and behaviour of markers HBsAg and HBcAg in hepatic tissue. Immunohistochemical techniques were used to establish possible relations between these parameters. Among patients with positive HBeAg found all exhibited HBcAg in hepatic tissue, but in 16 patients in which HBeAg was negative, liver HBcAg was positive in 3 cases (18.7%). No correlation was found between the HBeAg system/anti-HBe and histopathologic findings because chronic active hepatitis was observed in 6/8 anti-HBe positive patients (75%). These findings suggest that, the evaluation of chronic carriers of HBsAg, requires a histologic analysis of the liver, including a tissue research for the virus in addition to a complete serologic study of HBV.