Primary lymphoma of the breast involving both axillae with bilateral breast carcinoma

Abstract

Background: Primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (PHNL) of the breast is a rare entity, while secondary involvement of the breast with diffuse disease of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is more common. However, PNHL is the most frequent haematopoietic tumour of the breast. Diagnostic criteria for PNHL of the breast are presence of technically adequate pathologic specimens, close association of mammary tissue and lymphomatous infiltrate, no prior diagnosis of an extarammamary lymphoma, and no evidence of concurrent widespread disease, except for ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes if concomitant with the primary lesion. Case presentation: A 57-year-old woman was recalled because her screening mammograms revealed three separate lesions in her right breast and one in the left. Histology of the lesions confirmed lymphoma in one breast with ductal carcinoma in the other. Conclusion: Most of reportedcases in literature have been involving the right breast, and almost all the patients were females. NHLs of the breast typically present as unilateral mass; the frequency of bilateral disease at first presentation ranges from 5-25%. Our objective is to report a case of primary lymphoma of the breast involving both axillae with concomitant bilateral primary breast cancer which has not been reported yet to our best of knowledge in literature. © 2008 Garg et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.