J Korean Med Sci.  2008 Dec;23(6):1118-1120. 10.3346/jkms.2008.23.6.1118.

Primary Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Breast: Radiologic and Pathologic Findings

• Kim JW
• Woo OH
• Cho KR
• Seo BK
• Yong HS
• Kim A
• Kang EY

• KMID: 1107543
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2008.23.6.1118

Abstract

Some breast neoplasms are classified as primary neuroendocrine carcinomas because they are positive for neuroendocrine markers. Although neuroendocrine carcinomas can originate from various organs of the body, primary neuroendocrine carcinomas of the breast are extremely rare. The diagnosis of primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast can only be made if nonmammary sites are confidently excluded or if an in situ component can be found. Here we report a primary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNL) involving the left breast. Breast ultrasonography revealed a lobulated, heterogeneous, low-echoic mass in the left breast, and the lesion ap-peared as a well-defined, highly-enhancing mass on a chest computed tomography scan. Ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy was performed on the mass, and primary LCNC was confirmed by histopathologic examination.

Keyword

Breast; Ultrasonography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma

MeSH Terms

Adult
Breast Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/ultrasonography
Carcinoma, Large Cell/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Humans
Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Mammography showed a relatively well-demarcated, lobular shaped mass in the mid-outer portion of the left breast.

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  Fig. 2 Breast US revealed an oval shaped, micro-lobulated, heterogeneous low-echoic mass, measuring about 3.2×1.3 cm in size, in the left breast.

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  Fig. 3 Chest CT scan showed a well-defined, highly-enhancing mass in the left breast.

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  Fig. 4 Photomicrograph of a histopathologic specimen showed small nests of large tumor cells with faintly granular cytoplasm separated by dense collagen bundles (Hematoxylin-eosin, magnification ×200).

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  Fig. 5 The tumor stained positive for chromogranin A (magnification ×200) and also expressed neuron-specific enolase and synaptophysin (not shown).

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