The management of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma in the
setting of pregnancy: seeking for clinical practice guidelines
Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a recently
described form of T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma now formally recognized by the World
Health Organization classification of lymphoid neoplasms. The aim of this paper is
to report the first case of BIA-ALCL diagnosed in a pregnant patient. It is well known
that BIA-ALCL appears as an indolent lymphoma with a good prognosis when diagnosed
at early stages and clinical guidelines for its management have been clearly published.
Nevertheless, they lack a standardized approach for BIA-ALCL during pregnancy. With
limited experience in our case, treatment has been safely postponed after term without
affecting patient's overall prognosis and without fetal complication. The fact that
the disease was diagnosed at an early stage (stage I) undoubtedly influenced the course
of treatment. A multidisciplinary approach weighing the risks and benefits of treatment
is of paramount importance in order to ensure the best possible outcome for both the
mother and her child and clinical update guidelines should be issued.
