Primary malignant lymphomas of the breast are uncommon. The incidence of primary malignant lymphoma of the breast is only 0.12% to 0.53% of all malignant tumors of the breast. Lymphocytes in the been described as a part of the mucosa-associated
lymphoid
tissue (MALT). In which migration of lymphocytes between other mucosal sites occurs, most often from the gastrointestinal tract. The relative rarity of lymphomas in the breast in comparison with those arising from the gut or bronchus can be
attributed
to the relative paucity of lymphoid tissue in the breast.
The authors report four cases of primary malignant lymphoma of the breast at Severance hospital and Yonsei Cancer Center from 1985 to 1992. All patients were women, and the age range was 35 to 63 years. All patients presented with a breast mass.
The
sites of the lesions were the right breast in two cases, the left breast in one, and both breasts in one. Histologically, three cases were diffuse large cell type; one, small lymhocytic, plasmacytoid type. Treatment consisted either of a
combination of
surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy or radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
The size of tumor, stage of disease, and histologic grade have been regarded as variables of prognostic significance in breast lymphomas.
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