title: Cystic hygroma of the breast: a rare lesion.
abstract: Lymphangiomas are congenital malformations of lymphatic vessels. More than 50% of these lesions are present at birth; 90% are diagnosed by the age of 2. These lesions do not expand very rapidly but they tend to infiltrate surrounding tissues; their degeneration into malignant tumors is an extremely rare occurrence. They are mostly located in the neck region and the axilla; breast lymphangioma is very rare. Surgery is usually performed for aesthetic reasons and in order to make a differential diagnosis with other, more common lesions. The surgical procedure involves the excision of the mass; other methods, such as radiotherapy and sclerotherapy, have proved to be completely ineffective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Policlinico Umberto I, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. dottor.casio@libero.it
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torcasio
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veneroso
authors.forename: Maria Ida
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Amabile
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biffoni
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tintisona
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pasta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018191:Lymphangioma, Cystic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary