Primary lymphoma of the breast

Abstract

Four cases of lymphoma of the breast are described seen over a period of 2 yr among 362 cases of breast carcinoma and 1 of carcinosarcoma. All 4 were diffuse non-Hodgkin''s lymphomas, 2 of IgM-Kappa secreting follicle center cell and 2 of histocyte origin. Routine histological and enzyme histochemical methods were unhelpful but the application of a panel of antisera for the demonstration of Ig H and L chains, lysozyme, .alpha.-1-antitrypsin as well as carcinoembryonic antigen and epithelial membrane antigen enabled a confident diagnosis to be made. Primary lymphoma of the breast may not be a rare disease and the possibility exists that it is misdiagnosed as anaplastic carcinoma as indeed 2 of these cases were on the initial biopsies. Correct diagnosis is essential so that appropriate treatment may be applied.