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A Challenging Case of Primary Breast Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Narcis Octavian ZARNESCU, Andreea ILIESIU, Alexandru PROCOP, Mircea TAMPA, Clara MATEI, Maria SAJIN, Mariana COSTACHE, Adrian DUMITRU and Anca Mihaela LAZAROIU
ABSTRACT
Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is a rare entity accounting for less than 1% of all breast malignancies. Diagnostic criteria for primary Hodgkin’s lymphoma of the breast are: the presence of sufficient tissue for diagnosis, close interaction between mammary tissue and lymphomatous infiltrate and no evidence or prior diagnosis of widespread lymphoma. Our case illustrates an unusual presentation of Hodgkin’s lymphoma of the breast: clinically as inflammatory breast cancer and core biopsy as granulomatous mastitis, the final diagnosis requiring surgical biopsy. Current information regarding this entity is scant, mainly build upon its rarity. In this paper we assess the clinical presentation, the step-bystep diagnosis, the treatment and the importance of immunohistochemistry in this uncommon condition.