Synchronous axillary lymph node involvement by breast cancer and nodal marginal zone lymphoma: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

We report an unusual condition, "tumor in tumor", in a 66-year-old woman who presented with a swelling in her left axillary region for a period of one month. Metastasis of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast was shown in axillary lymph nodes which were involved by nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma. Since sentinel lymph node biopsy has been performed increasingly in cases without palpable axillary lymph nodes, the probability of synchronous malignancies, especially lymphomas, should be kept in mind since identifying coincident tumors is important for proper treatment. The differential diagnosis of low grade non-Hodgkin lymphomas from non-neoplastic reactive lymphoid proliferations may be really challenging. Therefore systematic clinical examination as well as detailed histological and immunohistochemical evaluation is mandatory. © 2011 by Türkiye Klinikleri.