Nonepithelial Malignancies of the Breast
May 1st 2004Primary nonepithelial malignancies of the breast comprise an importantminority of breast neoplasms, including primary breast sarcomas,therapy-related breast sarcomas, the phyllodes tumors, and primarybreast lymphomas. With widespread mammographic detection ofbreast lesions, these tumors represent critical elements of the differentialdiagnosis of even benign-appearing lesions. Each has a distinctclinical profile, including presentation, available therapeutic options,and prognosis, further underscoring the importance of timely recognition.The increasing incidence of breast carcinomas and the subsequenttherapy thereof may be contributing to an increase in the numberof therapy-related breast tumors. This review discusses various featuresof these uncommon malignancies and their treatment, with thegoal of increasing understanding of their clinical behavior andmanagement.