[Neuroendocrine tumors of the mammary gland. Current evaluation apropos of a case].
The authors report a case of infiltrating non-mucinous neuroendocrine breast tumor of both nesidioid and carcinoid type, exclusively composed of argyrophil cells and showing estrogen receptors. By comparing it to those published in literature, they conclude that there are two types of breast tumors with argyrophil cells: one very rare, exclusively composed of neuroendocrine cells, which may present all of the morphological, functional, evolutive aspects and particularly the carcinoid pattern of diffuse endocrine system tumors; the other is more common, composite, reminiscent according to the abundance of their neuroendocrine components, either of the features of diffuse endocrine system tumors, or of those of conventional adenocarcinomas. Their findings help to explain that the combined  hormonoreceptive and hormonosecreting nature of these tumors is the particular property of their neuroendocrine cells comparable to that of the pituitary gland. In the composite tumors, these cells are associated in symbiosis with the epithelial glandular cells which are of ectodermal origin. Such an association, also observed in other parts of the body, is not fortuitous but functional and thus could contra-indicate antiestrogen hormonetherapy.
Peraldi
R
R
Service d'Anatomie Pathologique, CH d'Ajaccio, Ajaccio.
Versini
S
S
Peres
C
C
Pages
A
A
D000368:Aged; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015413:Mastectomy, Simple; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000473:pathology*
Les tumeurs neuroendocrines de la glande mammaire. Bilan actuel à propos d'un cas.