A 10-year review of lymphoma detected by breast screening

Breast cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are the commonest and 7th commonest malignancies in Australian women, with lifetime incidences of 1 in 11 and 1 in 98. Lymphoma of the breast accounts for 0.5% of all lymphomas. BreastScreen WA records from 1990 to 2000 were searched for lymphoma. During this time, 450,421 women were screened and 2,314 cases of malignancy detected. Eight cases were detected. Patients' ages ranged from 52 to 84. Two were symptomatic, with tiredness and inguinal lymphadenopathy respectively. The abnormality was axillary lymphadenopathy in four cases, intramammary masses in three patients, and both in one case. Intramammary masses were investigated as for any indeterminate lesion. Nodes exceeding 2 cm without a fatty centre were seen in three cases. In the other two cases they were less than 2 cm long but had enlarged. The possibility of lymphoma was considered before biopsy in three cases, all axillary lymphadenopathy. Diagnosis was confirmed by open biopsy in seven cases. There were seven cases of low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and one case of intermediate grade. Lymphoma can be detected on screening mammograms as an intramammary mass or as axillary lymphadenopathy.