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Hematologic Malignancies of the Breast Studied

South Med J; 2017 Oct; Alsadi, Lin, Alnajar, et al

Primary hematological malignancies of the breast occur more frequently than secondary malignancies, according to a retrospective review involving 52 hematologic neoplasms. Investigators looked at hematologic neoplasms diagnosed in breast tissue over a 22-year period ending in 2014, analyzing clinical characteristics, patient history, histologic subtype, and outcomes. There were 46 lymphomas, 4 plasmacytomas, and 2 myeloid sarcomas. 30 cases were primary and 22 secondary to the breast. Lymphoma breakdown was:

  • Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas: 15.
  • Follicular lymphomas (FL): 14.
  • Marginal zone lymphomas (MZL): 8.
  • Anaplastic large T-cell lymphomas and peripheral T-cell lymphomas-not otherwise specified: 2 each.
  • Small lymphocytic lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, and T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma: 1 each.

Primary lymphomas accounted for 6 in every 10 of lymphomas. Most FLs and almost all MZLs were primary.

Citation:

Alsadi A, Lin D, Alnajar H, Brickman A, Martyn C, Gattuso P. Hematologic malignancies discovered on investigation of breast abnormalities. South Med J. 2017;110(10):614-620. doi:10.14423/SMJ.0000000000000710.