Diagnosis and treatment of neuroendocrine breast cancer: A retrospective analysis of ten cases and review of the literature
10.3781/j.issn.1000-7431.2013.02.011
- Author:
Feng MAO
1
Author Information
1. Department of Breast Surgery
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Breast neoplasms;
Carcinoma, neuroendocrine;
Diagnosis;
Therapy
- From:
Tumor
2013;33(2):171-176
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: To investigate the characteristics of clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of NEBC (neuroendocrine breast cancer). Methods: This was a retrospective study. Ten consecutive female patients with NEBC were admitted in Department of Breast Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2004 and December 2010. The average age of the ten patients was 52 years, and the follow-up period was 24-177 months (median 84 months). Results: Clinically, most of the NEBC manifested as breast lump, sometimes as NPBL (non-palpable breast lesion) or nipple discharge. An ultrasound examination usually revealed heterogeneous echoic mass with irregular shape and clear boundary. Mammography showed no significantly different changes from other kinds of breast cancer. Nine patients received curative resection for NEBC, among whom, seven underwent modified radical mastectomy, one underwent nipple and areola-sparing modified radical mastectomy, one with nipple discharge underwent excision of duct and relevant lobule and hook-wire-guided biopsy of breast lump, and later right mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy. The expressions of hormone receptors like ER (estrogen receptor) /PR (progesterone receptor) were usually positive in NEBC, while the expression of HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) was usually negative (-) to positive (+). At least one neuroendocrine marker like Syn (synapsin) or CgA (chromgranin A) was positive. During the follow-up period, metastasis was found in two patients and one of them had passed away. Conclusion: NEBC is a clinical entity different from breast cancer with BC-NE (breast cancer with neuroendocrine differentiation). NEBC may affect younger patients in China, ultrasound examination is valuable for diagnosis, and surgical and comprehensive therapy may achieve satisfactory outcome with relatively good prognosis, although there might be cases of metastasis. Copyright © 2013 by TUMOR.
