A rare breast tumor: primary neuroendocrine carcinoma*
Hüseyin Pülat1, Mehmet Zafer Sabuncuoğlu2, Oktay Karaköse1, Mehmet Fatih Benzin2, Hasan Erol Eroğlu1, Kemal Kürşat Bozkurt3
1Division of Surgical Oncology, Süleyman Demirel University School of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey
2Department of General Surgery, Süleyman Demirel University School of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey
3Department of Pathology, Süleyman Demirel University School of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most frequently seen cancer in females but primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast, which was defined as a separate entity in the 2003 World Health Organisation tumour classification, is seen extremely rarely. This entity, which is still not well-defined and has not been well-researched, demonstrates a more aggressive course than invasive ductal carcinoma. As metastatic breast neuroendocrine tumours are more widespread and the treatment strategy is different, preoperative differential diagnosis is important. The basic diagnostic method is pathological examination. If a neuroendocrine pattern is determined in microscopy, then immunohistochemical study of neuroendocrine markers should be made. It is necessary to be vigilant in terms of synchronous tumours and metachronous tumours which may develop in the postoperative period as the incidence of synchronous and metachronous cancers in patients with neuroendocrine tumours is higher compared to the general population. The case presented here is of a 73-year old patient who presented with complaints of a breast lump, which was thought to be invasive breast cancer, and as a result of the operation with pathological and immunohistochemical examination, primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast was determined. With more advanced evaluations, no synchronous or metachronous tumours were determined.
Keywords: Breast cancer, neuroendocrine carcinoma, treatment, surgery
Cite this article as: Pülat H, Sabuncuoğlu MZ, Karaköse O, Benzin MF, Eroğlu HE, Bozkurt KK. A rare breast tumor: primary neuroendocrin carcinoma. Turk J Surg 2019; 35 (3): 236-240.
This study was presented at the 19th National Congress of Surgery, 16-20 April 2014, Antalya, Turkey.
Written informed consent was obtained from patients who participated in this study.
Externally peer-reviewed.
Concept - H.P., M.Z.S., O.K.; Design - M.F.B., H.E.E. K.K.B.; Supervision - H.P., M.F.B., H.E.E.; Materials - M.Z.S., O.K., K.K.B.; Analysis and/or Interpretation - H.P., M.Z.S., H.E.E.; Literature Search - O.K., K.K.B., H.P.; Writing Manuscript - H.P., O.K.; Critical Reviews - H.E.E., M.Z.S., K.K.B.
No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.
The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.