Case Report
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World J Clin Oncol. Dec 10, 2014; 5(5): 1107-1112
Published online Dec 10, 2014. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v5.i5.1107
Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the breast presenting as breast abscess
Ikumi Suzuki, Pimchandr Chakkabat, Lindsay Goicochea, Cristina Campassi, Saranya Chumsri
Ikumi Suzuki, Saranya Chumsri, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
Pimchandr Chakkabat, Department of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Lindsay Goicochea, Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
Cristina Campassi, Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
Author contributions: All the authors contributed to this work.
Correspondence to: Saranya Chumsri, MD, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, 22 S. Greene Street, Room S9D15B, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States. schumsri@umm.edu
Telephone: +1-410-3286373 Fax: +1-410-3286896
Received: March 21, 2014
Revised: September 2, 2014
Accepted: October 31, 2014
Published online: December 10, 2014
Processing time: 265 Days and 6.7 Hours
Abstract

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare type of neoplasm in which only twenty cases have been reported in the breast. This type of tumor can be difficult to distinguish from other breast tumors particularly medullary carcinoma and lymphoma in the breast. We present a case of LELC of the breast presenting as an abscess along with a review of the literature. This is the 21st reported case of LELC of the breast and the first case to present as an abscess. Her clinical picture could have been mistaken for other infectious or inflammatory diseases. Given the potential for favorable outcome, early detection and general knowledge of this neoplasm are essential to expedite treatment for this rare tumor type.

Keywords: Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the breast; Breast cancer; Breast abscess

Core tip: We present a case of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) of the breast, which is a rare tumor type that can be difficult to diagnose. This particular case is the first case of LELC of the breast presenting as an abscess with radiologic and histologic studies as well as literature review of this rare tumor.