Spontaneous regression of primary breast lymphoma

Desmoid-type fibromatosis of the lower extremity: A unique case of complete lesion resolution following core needle biopsy

Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DF) is a rare neoplasm characterized by fibroblastic and myofibroblastic proliferation. While characterized as a benign lesion that does not metastasize, desmoid-type fibromatosis exhibits a wide range of behavior from aggressive local tissue invasion and post-surgical recurrence to spontaneous regression. Tumor regression can occur following systemic medical therapy or rarely may occur in the absence of therapy. We present a case of a 50-year-old female with a left thigh vastus medialis intramuscular mass which underwent imaging work-up and subsequent core needle ultrasound-guided biopsy showing results of desmoid-type fibromatosis. Following biopsy, the tumor showed prompt, complete regression with complete MRI resolution 2 months following biopsy. The patient showed no evidence of disease recurrence out to one year on MRI surveillance. This case report will discuss desmoid-type fibromatosis imaging features, treatment strategies, spectrum of disease behavior, and atypical behavior such as the spontaneous tumor regression as seen in this case report. To our knowledge there have been no reported cases of DF spontaneous regression 2 months following a core needle biopsy. Understanding the variable behavior of desmoid-type fibromatosis can assist the radiologist in guiding management of these lesions with the goal of optimizing clinical outcomes and preventing unnecessary aggressive treatments for stable or regressing disease.

Spontaneous regression of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the small intestine with multiple lymphadenopathy

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is classified as an aggressive lymphoma due to its poor prognosis regardless of the treatment. Almost all cases of DLBCL are treated using rituximab-combination chemotherapy, but spontaneous regression without any therapeutic modalities may rarely occur. A 35-year-old man complained of abdominal pain and discomfort. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) demonstrated abnormal accumulation of fluorodeoxyglucose in the thickened wall of the small intestine and multiple lymphadenopathy. Laparoscopic lymph node biopsy was performed, and the diagnosis of DLBCL was made based on the biopsy findings. Soon after the laparoscopic biopsy, the patient felt free from any symptoms. Approximately three months later, no abnormal accumulation of fluorodeoxyglucose in the entire body was found on PET-CT. He has remained in complete metabolic remission for over three years according to PET-CT. We discuss the mechanism of this rare phenomenon.

Spontaneous remission in diffuse large cell lymphoma: a case report

Background

Spontaneous remission in solid malignancies has been documented. However, spontaneous remission in aggressive diffuse large b cell lymphoma is exceedingly rare. Previous reports of lymphoma remission suggest that not yet fully characterized tumor-intrinsic and microenvironment mechanisms cooperate with spontaneous regression.

Case description

Here, we report the case of an 88-year-old white woman with diffuse large b cell lymphoma (follicular lymphoma transformed) who achieved morphologic spontaneous remission 3 months after her diagnostic core biopsy. We examined 16 similar cases of diffuse large b cell lymphoma suggesting that spontaneous remission is preferentially observed in elderly patients soon after their biopsy microtrauma, especially if malignancies are Epstein–Barr virus driven and activated B-cell type.

Conclusion

Our case and reported analysis highlight that anti-tumor adaptive T cell responses are potentially augmented in a subset of patients leading to lymphoma regression. In these patients, it is possible that “primed” innate anti-tumor T cell immunity is enhanced in immunogenic lymphoma subtypes after tissue biopsy. Our case and analysis not only reinforce the role of innate T cell anticancer immunity, but also originates potential proof of concept for investigation of unexplored pathways that could favorably impact T cell therapy.

MRI features of breast lymphoma: preliminary experience in seven cases

PURPOSE

We aimed to evaluate the imaging features of breast lymphoma using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

METHODS

This retrospective study consisted of seven patients with pathologically confirmed breast lymphoma. The breast lymphomas were primary in six patients and secondary in one patient. All patients underwent preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and one underwent additional diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with a b value of 600 s/mm2. Morphologic characteristics, enhancement features, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were reviewed.

RESULTS

On MRI, three patients presented with a single mass, one with two masses, two with multiple masses, and one with a single mass and a contralateral focal enhancement. The MRI features of the eight biopsied masses in seven patients were analyzed. On MRI, the margins were irregular in six masses (75%) and spiculated in two (25%). Seven masses (87.5%) displayed homogeneous internal enhancement, while one (12.5%) showed rim enhancement. Seven masses (87.5%) showed a washout pattern and one (12.5%) showed a plateau pattern. The penetrating vessel sign was found in two masses (25%). One patient with two masses underwent DWI. Both masses showed hyperintense signal on DWI with ADC values of 0.867×10-3 mm2/s and 0.732×10-3 mm2/s, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Breast lymphoma commonly presents as a homogeneously enhancing mass with irregular margins and displays a washout curve pattern on dynamic MRI. A low ADC value may also indicate a possible diagnosis of breast lymphoma.

Diagnostic biopsy does not commonly induce intratumoral CD8 T cell infiltration in Merkel cell carcinoma

Background

Merkel cell carcinoma is a polyomavirus-associated cancer that is strongly linked with T lymphocyte immune suppression in epidemiologic studies. CD8+ T cell infiltration into MCC tumors (intratumoral) has recently been shown to be strongly predictive of improved survival. In contrast, the presence of CD8+ T cells at the border of the tumor (peritumoral) had no independent prognostic value. Spontaneous regression has been reported for MCC approximately one thousand times more often than would be expected given the frequency of this cancer. Many of these events began shortly after biopsy, and in some cases lymphocytic infiltration was described.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To determine whether CD8+ lymphocyte infiltration in MCC tumors is commonly altered by biopsy.33 MCC patients who had microscopic confirmation of MCC on both an initial biopsy and a re-excision specimen were included in this study. Intratumoral and peritumoral CD8 lymphocyte infiltration was quantitated using immunohistochemistry and compared using the paired t-test in biopsy versus re-excision samples. There was a trend toward increased CD8 infiltration after biopsy in a peritumoral (‘stalled’) pattern (p = 0.08), however, biopsy was not associated with a significant increase in CD8 T cells in the clinically more important intratumoral location (p = 0.58).

Conclusions/Significance

The initial diagnostic biopsy for MCC does not commonly alter intratumoral CD8+ T cell infiltration, suggesting it does not directly induce immunologic recognition of this cancer. Because CD8 infiltration is typically stable after biopsy, this parameter may be useful to assess the efficacy of future immune therapies for this virus-associated, immunogenic, often-lethal cancer.