IJSR International Journal of Scientific Research 2277 - 8179 Indian Society for Health and Advanced Research ijsr-6-3-10288 Original Research Paper PRIMARY NEUROENDOCRINE CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST: A RARE ENTITY. Arjunan Dr. KV Veerendrakumar Dr. March 2017 6 3 01 02 ABSTRACT

 Introduction A neuroendocrine tumour is well described in the literature, but neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) of the breast is a very rare entity. NEC breast is not much reported in the literature so as to define the standard diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic guidelines. It has almost similar clinical behavior; hence its diagnosis is based on histology and immunohistochemical markers. Objective Our aim is to determine the clinico–pathological features, treatment and prognostic features of primary neuroendocrine breast carcinoma. Material and Methods We searched the patient’s records that were diagnosed with primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast between 2008 and 2014 at a Regional Cancer Center in South India. We noted the demographic parameters, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and follow–up of all the patients and we are presenting a case series study. Results Nineteen cases with diagnosis of primary NEC breast were admitted during this period. All the patients were females with median age of 57 (38–80) years. Ten patients were diagnosed preoperatively on core needle biopsy while remaining cases were diagnosed post–operatively on histopathology and immunohistochemichal markers. Fourteen patients presented with palpable lump in the breast with average size of 4.91cm and 13 patients had palpable axillary lymphadenopathy. Three patients presented with metastases at the time of diagnosis. On histopathology, 10/16 patients had metastatic axillary lymph nodes and most of them with N2 status. 15/19 patients were ER positive, 16/19 were PR positive and only one patient was HER2–neu positive and two were equivocal. The common neuroendocrine markers synatophysin, NSE and chromogranine were positive in almost all patients. Median follow up was 24 months (11 to 71 months). After completion of treatment, one patients had local at 18 months and 5 patients had distant recurrence. Positive lymph node status & negative ER/PR status was associated with poor prognostic factors. Conclusion The primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast in comparison with other invasive breast cancer is rare and different in terms of hormone receptor status, staging, lymph node stage and risk of recurrence. Our study suggests that neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast is a separate histological group and is not a less aggressive type of tumour.