Primary Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Negative Breast Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Without Breast Implant Association: A Case Report.
Mine Ozsen, Kazım Senol, Ulviye Yalcınkaya et al.
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Case in brief
A 26-year-old woman with no history of breast implantation presented with right breast pain and a palpable mass persisting for 3 months. Imaging showed a complex cystic lesion suspicious for malignancy. Core biopsy revealed diffuse infiltration by large atypical, pleomorphic cells with increased mitotic activity. The cells were strongly CD30-positive, focally positive for epithelial membrane antigen, and negative for ALK, keratin AE1/AE3, CD20, and EBV. After breast-conserving surgery, the lesion was diagnosed as primary ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
What made this case unusual
The lymphoma occurred in a young patient without breast implants, despite the usual association of breast anaplastic large cell lymphoma with implants.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
A complex cystic breast mass can represent ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma; diagnosis depends on histopathological assessment and immunophenotyping, including CD30 and ALK.