Abstract
BACKGROUND: The objective of this work was to discriminate between primary breast lymphoma (PBL) and breast cancer by systematically analyzing clinical characteristics, laboratory examination results, ultrasound features, and mammography findings to establish a diagnostic model for PBL and to analyze the influence of surgical treatment on the prognosis of PBL patients. METHOD: We analyzed 20 PBL and 70 breast cancer patients treated during the same period by comparing several characteristics: clinical features, such as age, tumor position, and breast complaints; laboratory examination findings, such as the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, and imaging features such as the maximum diameter, shape, margins, aspect ratio, and calcification of the mass and axillary lymph node involvement. A diagnostic model was then developed using logistic regression analysis. The impact of surgery on the prognosis of PBL patients was assessed through Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULT: Breast cancer and PBL could be distinguished based on imaging features, including the maximum diameter, shape, margin, and calcification of the mass, and lymph node involvement (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between PBL and breast cancer patients in terms of clinical features, or the LDH level. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.821. The log-rank test showed that surgery had no significant influence on the prognosis of PBL patients. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound and mammography are the most useful methods for detecting malignant breast tumors. Compared with breast cancer tumors, breast lymphoma tumors are larger with a more regular shape and less calcification and are often accompanied by axillary lymph node involvement. Patients with a breast malignancy should not undergo surgical excision without an accurate diagnosis.