Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) of breast in a patient without a breast implant

Abstract

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the breast is an uncommon entity accounting for approximately 0.5% of malignant breast neoplasms and around 3% of extranodal lymphomas. Most cases of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) of the breast have been associated with breast implants, and a few ALCL arising de novo in patients without breast implants have been reported. We report a case of a 19-year-old female who presented with a lump in the right breast of 3 months' duration. Examination revealed an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2 and a 6×5 cm2 lump in the right breast. Lumpectomy revealed large neoplastic cells positive for CD30, EMA, CD5, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), suggestive of anaplastic large cell lymphoma. The patient underwent lumpectomy followed by 6 cycles of anthracycline-based chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone 3 weekly. On follow up, this patient had an event-free survival of 23 months. We are reporting this case of ALCL (ALK positive) in a patient with no breast implant previously, and, hence, it is of clinical importance.