title: Mammary neuroendocrine carcinoma with mucinous differentiation: a clinicopathological study of 15 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mammary neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) displays morphological features including mucinous type.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe clinicopathological of NEC with mucinous differentiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 15 cases of mammary NEC with mucinous differentiation were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients in this study were women aged from 37 to 78 year olds (median 68.1 years). The tumors ranged in size from 1.2 cm to 16 cm (mean 3.74 cm). The amount of extracellular mucin varied from 10% to 90%. Histological grade was I in 7 cases and II in 8 cases. Immunohistochemically, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesteron receptor (PR) were expressed in 12 and 14 cases, respectively. All tumors were negative for Her-2. Ki-67 proliferative index was lesser than 1% in all cases and no cases had demonstrated p53 overexpression. Three patients died of disease with a follow-up of 3 to 6 months. One patient was alive with metastasis at 96 months. Ten patients were disease free (follow-up range from 15 to 125 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mammary NEC with mucinous differentiation affects mostly older women. All tumors were low grade and immunoreactive for ER/PR and negative for Her-2. Mammary NEC with mucinous differentiation seems associated with well survival parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, CHU Habib Bourguiba, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Slim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Charfi
authors.forename: Chiraz Ben
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Ayed
authors.forename: Hela
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mnif
authors.forename: Sameh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ellouze
authors.forename: Kais
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chaabane
authors.forename: Jihene
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feki
authors.forename: Mounir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frikha
authors.forename: Jamel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daoud
authors.forename: Tahya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boudawara-Sellami
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015410:Mastectomy, Extended Radical; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Neuroendocrine carcinoma; breast carcinoma; immunohistochemistry; mucinous differentiation