Pseudolymphoma of the breast. I. In a study of 8,654 consecutive tylectomies and mastectomies

Abstract

Pseudolymphoma is a benign pathological process that morphologically resembles malignant lymphoma. Its occurrence in the mammary tissue has been described but has not been well investigated. We conducted a prospective and retrospective study of 8,654 consecutive mastectomies and tylectomies of the breast and found only 9 cases (0.1%) of primary lymphoreticular lesions. Of these 9, 5 were pseudolymphomas; 3, histiocytic lymphomas; and 1, Hodgkin's disease. Clinically, pseudolymphoma of the breast was described as an enlarging mass giving a dull, aching sensation. A history of physical trauma to the affected area could be traced in 3 patients with certainty. The mean patient age of the entire series was 36 years. Grossly, the tumor was a solid, firm nodule without any evidence of fibrocystic disease. Microscopically, it showed a lymphoid infiltrate with a nodular pattern. Three of the 5 cases revealed distinct germinal centers. Atypical lymphoid cells were not observed in any of these cases. After local excision, no patients had recurrence over a period of two to eight years. In view of a history of trauma, accompany fat necrosis in some cases, IgG gammopathy, it is postulated that pseudolymphoma of the breast, probably akin to pseudolymphoma of the lung, may represent an overwhelming local response to an injury. This lesion, reactive in nature, should be differentiated from a malignant lymphoma so that patients are not subjected to unnecessary mastectomy, radiation, or chemotherapy.

Pseudolymphoma of the breast: imaging findings.

“…The largest number of cases of pseudolymphoma of the breast, five, was reported by Lin et al [1]. As in our patient, the pseudolymphomas in that series were large masses, 2.7-4.5 cm in greatest dimension at the time of excision [1]. In our case, the network of channels correlated with fibrotic bands (Fig.…”

“…were pseudolymphomas in one series [1]. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the mammographic and sonographic appearances of pseudolymphoma.…”

“…Pseudolymphoma of the breast, also known as lymphoid pseudotumor, was first described in the 1960s [1]. Cornpared with primary lymphoma of the breast, itself uncommon and constituting only 0.2% of malignant breast masses in one series of 8654 surgically excised masses, pseudolyrnphoma is even rarer [1].…”

“…Cornpared with primary lymphoma of the breast, itself uncommon and constituting only 0.2% of malignant breast masses in one series of 8654 surgically excised masses, pseudolyrnphoma is even rarer [1]. The largest number of cases of pseudolymphoma of the breast, five, was reported by Lin et al [1].…”

Low-grade mucosa-associated lymphoma of the breast: radiological–pathological correlation

“…Primary breast lymphoma accounts for between 0.04 % and 0.5 % of all malignant breast tumors and 2.2 % of all extranodal lymphomas [1] and comprises between 0.04 % and 0.53 % of all mammary malignancies [2,4,6,9,10,11,12].…”