Clinicopathologic features and treatment outcome of non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the breast--a review of 42 primary and secondary cases in Taiwanese patients.
Breast lymphoma is a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). However, its clinicopathologic features, treatment, patterns of failure and prognosis remains unclear. We reviewed the clinicopathologic features, treatment variables, failure patterns and the clinical outcome of all cases of breast NHL diagnosed in three institutions in Taiwan between 1984 and 2006. The diagnosis, based on the criteria proposed by Wiseman and Liao, was primary breast lymphoma (PBL) in 23 patients and secondary breast lymphoma (SBL) in 19. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was the predominant histological type of both. Among patients with PBL, 18 received chemotherapy and radiotherapy, 3 received chemotherapy alone and 2 received radiotherapy alone. In contrast, all 19 patients with SBL received chemotherapy alone. At a median follow-up of 4.4 years, patients with PBL had a significantly better 5-year event-free survival and overall survival. The contralateral breast was the predominant site of recurrence for patients with PBL. In multivariate analyses, young age and stage IIE disease were significantly associated with poorer prognosis of PBL. Our results indicate combined modality treatment results in a favourable outcome for patients with PBL. Further investigation of underlying mechanisms of young age- and stage IIE disease-related poor prognosis in patients with PBL is needed.
Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yu-Chin
YC
Lin
Chung-Hsin
CH
Tsai
Jia-Shing
JS
Wu
Chiun-Sheng
CS
Huang
Sung-Hsin
SH
Kuo
Chung-Wu
CW
Lin
Ann-Lii
AL
Cheng
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011878:Radiotherapy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013624:Taiwan; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult