Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, Giant Cell-Rich, Involving a Nonimplant Breast

Abstract

Primary breast lymphomas are uncommon tumors and account for <1% of all malignant neoplasms of the breast. They are almost always of non-Hodgkin type, with B-cell lymphomas being the most common subtype. Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a rare T-cell lymphoma that can involve the breast. Most of the articles in the literature describe ALCL in association with breast implants. We present a 48-year-old woman with a left breast enlargement and no history of an implant. Microscopic sections showed a high-grade CD30-positive lymphoid neoplasm with frequent giant cells, which turned out to be a primary ALCL of the breast, giant cell-rich pattern. To our knowledge, no cases of primary ALCL, giant cell-rich variant, have been reported in the breast in the absence of an implant making our case unique.

Approach to Fine Needle Aspiration of Giant Cell-rich Tumors of Soft Tissue

“…This distinction is not critical for making a diagnosis. Although giant cells may be seen in association with carcinoma, [48][49][50] melanoma, 51 and even some lymphomas, 52 we will focus exclusively on giant cell-rich soft tissue lesions.…”