Giant cystic lymphangioma of the breast. Report of a case with 20-year follow-up and review of the literature

Background: Lymphangiomas are congenital or acquired malformations (secondary to trauma, infection or neoplasm) in the mammary gland and are extremely rare. These lesions tend to infiltrate surrounding tissues and malignant degeneration is extremely rare. Lymphangiomas clinically manifest as benign, slow-growing masses that are diagnosed clinically and by imaging studies. Surgery with removal of the mass is performed for aesthetic reasons and to make a differential diagnosis with other common injuries. Clinical case: We present the case of a 45-year-old female with progressive increase in the size of the left breast. She reported breast trauma concerns and there were no other symptoms. Histological diagnosis was giant cystic lymphangioma of the left mammary gland. Discussion: Lymphangiomas are uncommon lesions and are extremely rare in the mammary gland. They may be locally aggressive and are benign where abnormal lymphatic tissue has some ability to proliferate and accumulate large amounts of liquid, representing a cystic appearance as presented in our case. Local surgical excision is the treatment. Conclusion: This is the first case of giant breast cystic lymphangioma reported in Mexico, which corroborates the benign nature of the lesion.