Generalised Burkitt's lymphoma involving both breasts--a case report.

Background: Burkitt's lymphoma is a disease of children age ranging 8-10 years. Lymphoma involving the breast is an unusual clinical entity, which is rarely distinguished preoperatively from other more common forms of breast cancer. The Management differs from the more typical adenocarcinoma of the breast in that the emphasis is on systemic therapy.

Case: We report a 27-year-old pregnant Nigerian civil servant at 28 weeks gestation, who presented with multiple organ swellings including both breasts. She was diagnosed histologically as primary breast Burkitt's lymphoma. She was treated with systemic chemotherapy after spontaneous abortion. She had a recurrence of the lesion in the right breast a month later that was excised. Presently there is no evidence of any mass.

Conclusion: Compared with breast carcinoma, primary breast lymphoma is a rare disease but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of breast masses.