Primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the era of rituximab

Background and objective: The aim of this study was to summarize the clinical characteristics and evaluate the management approaches of primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the era of rituximab.

Patients and methods: A total of 24 female patients with newly diagnosed primary breast DLBCL treated between April 2006 and May 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. Ten patients (41.7%) received rituximab.

Results: For the whole group, the median age was 50 years (range 24-69 years). All patients had the disease detected with a palpable mass. The estimated 5-year overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS) rates of all the patients were 78.9% and 79.2%, respectively. A nonstatistically significant increase in PFS and overall survival was observed when rituximab was administered (5-year PFS: 90% vs 71.4%, P=0.285; 5-year overall survival: 90% vs 71.4%, P=0.239).

Conclusion: Primary breast DLBCL appears to be a rare disease. Adding rituximab might improve survival in patients with primary breast DLBCL. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate the role of rituximab for primary breast DLBCL.