Clinicopathological characteristics, local treatment, and prognostic factors in IE/IIE primary breast lymphoma: a retrospective study of 67 patients

INTRODUCTION: Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is a rare disease, treatment of which excerpts does not reach a consensus. This retrospective study was conducted to analyze clinical features and survival outcomes of different therapeutic methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of 67 patients with stage IE/IIE primary breast lymphoma were reviewed from the medical record system. Survival information was gathered by searching the outpatient system. Clinicopathological characteristics were compared by chi-squared or Fisher’s exact tests. A comparison of survival curves was performed by log-rank tests. The Cox proportional hazard model was applied for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: At the median follow-up time of 65.23 months (range, 9–150 months), there were 27 (40.3%) relapses, 28 (41.8%) distant metastases, and 21 (31.3%) deaths. The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 52.1% and 72.4%. Pathological types (DLBCL vs. non-DLBCL, p = 0.001) and rituximab use (p < 0.001) were statistically associated with longer PFS in patients with PBL. Nodal sites involved and radiotherapy administration were significant predictors for 5-year OS. Multivariate analysis suggested that nodal sites involved (p = 0.005) and radiotherapy administration (p < 0.003) were independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with PBL (p < 0.05). Radical surgery was not an independent factor for patients with PBL. CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy improved the survival of patients with PBL. Radical mastectomy offered no additional benefit in the treatment of PBL. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-023-03007-8.