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Small cell (oat cell) carcinoma of the breast
Author(s) -
Fukunaga Masaharo,
Ushigome Shinichiro
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
pathology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.73
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1827
pISSN - 1320-5463
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1827.1998.tb03976.x
Subject(s) - pathology , small cell carcinoma , carcinoma , malignancy , breast carcinoma , ductal carcinoma , large cell , enolase , lymph node , metastasis , synaptophysin , medicine , biology , adenocarcinoma , immunohistochemistry , breast cancer , cancer
A case of small cell (oat cell) carcinoma, which represents both the most dlstlnctlve and the least common type of mast carcinoma wtth neuroendocrine dlfterentiation and usually shows the most aggressive behavior, is described. Radlcal mastectomy was performed on a Wyearold female for a 10 cm tumor located in the outer part of the right breast with cutaneous ulceration Microscoplcally, the tumor predominantly consisted of a diffuse proliteration of small, round to ovoid cells with hyperchromatlc nuclei and ill‐defined, scant cytoplasm that was reminiscent of oat cell carclnoma of the lung. There were foci of invasive ductal carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ . Small cell carcinoma areas constituted approximately 90% of the neoplasm. The patlent had axlllary lymph node metastasis. The small tumor cells were argyrophlllc and positive for CAM5.2, carclnoembryonic antigen, neuron‐specific enolase, Leu‐7, chromogranln A and synaptophysin. Flow cytometric analysis showed an aneuplold DNA content. The patient was alive and well without disease 4 years after surgery. Small cell carcinomas of the breast may exhibkt a spectrum of malignancy that is comparable to similar tumors at better known primary sites.