Report of a case of anaplastic large cell lymphoma associated with a breast implant in a Brazilian patient

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder that has recently been recognized as an independent entity in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of lymphomas. Despite the small number of reports to date, the number of cases is rapidly increasing. Of the few hundred cases that have been reported so far, very few came from Brazil and none have been reported to the local authorities. We encountered a case of BIA-ALCL and believe that its report to the local plastic surgery community could raise awareness to this emerging pathology. The prognosis is very good in most of the diagnosed cases. However, little is known about how and why silicone implants could trigger a lymphoid response that results in ALCL.