J Korean Surg Soc.  2012 Feb;82(2):116-119. 10.4174/jkss.2012.82.2.116.

Small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast

• An JK
• Woo JJ
• Kang JH
• Kim EK

• KMID: 2212210
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4174/jkss.2012.82.2.116

Abstract

A small-cell carcinoma is one of the histologic subtypes of primary neuroendocrine carcinomas of the breast. A small-cell carcinoma is a rare entity of the breast and exhibits similar morphologic features as neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and lung. We present the imaging and pathologic findings of a primary small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast. This is the first report of a primary small-cell carcinoma arising from the breast in Korea.

Keyword

Breast neoplasms; Neuroendocrine carcinoma; Small cell carcinoma

MeSH Terms

Breast
Breast Neoplasms
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine
Carcinoma, Small Cell
Gastrointestinal Tract
Korea
Lung
Neuroendocrine Tumors

Figure

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  Fig. 1 (A) Sonography showed small irregular hypoechoic lesion with angular margin and spiculations (arrows). (B) Mammography showed ill-defined hyperdense mass in left subareolar area which was adherent to areola. Nipple retraction, diffuse skin thickening, and multiple enlarged lymph nodes in left axilla were noted with shrinkage of volume of left breast. (C) Sonography showed irregular hypoechoic mass with invasion to nipple (arrows).

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  Fig. 2 (A) Microscopic finding showed infiltrating nests of small cells in fibrotic stroma. Tumor cells had small hyperchromatic nuclei and scanty cytoplasms (H&E, ×200). (B) Immunohistochemical stain showed strong positivity of tumor cells for neuron-specific enolase (×400).

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