J Korean Soc Radiol.  2019 Jan;80(1):129-134. 10.3348/jksr.2019.80.1.129.

Primary Breast Carcinoma with Neuroendocrine Features: Imaging Features on Mammography and Ultrasonography

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Radiology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. radkimjy@paik.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Pathology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Primary breast carcinoma with neuroendocrine features is an extremely rare and underrecognized subtype of the breast carcinoma. And up to present, its biologic behavior, the most effective treatment, and prognosis are not well recognized. To diagnose this rare entity, special tumor stains of neuroendocrine markers are required, which are not routinely used. The imaging features of primary breast carcinoma with neuroendocrine features (BCNF) have not been accurately described due to the extreme rarity of this tumor type. We report the imaging features in a case of BCNF, with imaging findings different from the typical imaging findings of invasive breast carcinoma.


MeSH Terms

Breast Neoplasms*
Breast*
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine
Coloring Agents
Mammography*
Neuroendocrine Tumors
Prognosis
Ultrasonography*
Coloring Agents

Figure

  • Fig. 1. A 47-year-old woman with palpable lump in the left breast. A. Left craniocaudal mammogram shows a 2.7 cm sized, oval isodense mass with circumscribed margin in the sub-areolar region of upper outer quadrant. B. Ultrasonography reveals circumscribed oval hypoechoic mass with posterior enhancement and cystic foci (arrow). C. Color Doppler exam shows increased vascularity of the lesion. D. Microscopic sections of left breast nodule show the tumor consisting of cellular nests and trabeculae of tumor cells, with spindle to ovoid cells in rosette formation (hematoxylin-eosin stain; left panel × 200, right

  • Fig. 1. A 47-year-old woman with palpable lump in the left breast. E. Immunohistochemistry shows carcinoma cells diffusely positive for CD56 (a, × 200), chromogranin (b, × 200), synaptophysin (c, × 200), estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor (d, × 100).


Reference

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