Bilateral breast metastases as the first manifestation of an occult pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor
Breast metastases are uncommon findings compared to primary breast cancer and in particular bilateral secondary breast lesions from neuroendocrine tumor (NET)s are extremely rare with just less over 13 cases described in literature. We reported herewith the case of a 54-year-old woman who presented...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Radiology Case Reports |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043321006580 |
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| author | Lorenzo Vassallo, MD Mirella Fasciano, MD Grazia Ortoleva, MD Enrico Armando, MD Federica Groppo Marchisio, MD Lucianna Russo, MD Carla Angela Zavattero, MD Gisella Lingua, MD |
| author_facet | Lorenzo Vassallo, MD Mirella Fasciano, MD Grazia Ortoleva, MD Enrico Armando, MD Federica Groppo Marchisio, MD Lucianna Russo, MD Carla Angela Zavattero, MD Gisella Lingua, MD |
| author_sort | Lorenzo Vassallo, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Breast metastases are uncommon findings compared to primary breast cancer and in particular bilateral secondary breast lesions from neuroendocrine tumor (NET)s are extremely rare with just less over 13 cases described in literature. We reported herewith the case of a 54-year-old woman who presented to our Breast Unit after noticing multiple, mobile, bilateral breast lumps. Imaging studies confirmed the presence of multiple, circumscribed, bilateral breast masses with slightly spiculated margins, classified as suspicious for malignancy (BI-RADS 4). A tru-cut biopsy was carried out on the largest lesion of each side and histopathologic and immunohistochemistry examination was consistent with metastases from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET). Total-body CT revealed the presence of a mass located in the pancreatic body - tail with associated abdominal lymphadenopathies and multiple secondary nodules in bilateral breast and in the liver. Stage IV disease was diagnosed, patient did not undergo surgery and started LAR – octreotide therapy. Although rare, breast metastases from NETs represent an important diagnostic challenge for practitioners because of the difficulty to differentiate from a primary breast carcinoma or even from benign breast lesions. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of bilateral breast metastases in differential diagnosis of breast lesions in order to ensure the correct diagnosis and the most appropriate management of these patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:16:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6923e32ca62e472cb7470477390229a1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1930-0433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:16:57Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Radiology Case Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-6923e32ca62e472cb7470477390229a12022-12-21T21:46:58ZengElsevierRadiology Case Reports1930-04332021-12-01161238073814Bilateral breast metastases as the first manifestation of an occult pancreatic neuroendocrine tumorLorenzo Vassallo, MD0Mirella Fasciano, MD1Grazia Ortoleva, MD2Enrico Armando, MD3Federica Groppo Marchisio, MD4Lucianna Russo, MD5Carla Angela Zavattero, MD6Gisella Lingua, MD7Unit of Radiology, S.S. Annunziata Hospital, Savigliano, Cuneo, Italy; Corresponding author.Unit of Radiology, S.S. Annunziata Hospital, Savigliano, Cuneo, ItalyUnit of Radiology, S.S. Annunziata Hospital, Savigliano, Cuneo, ItalyUnit of Radiology, S.S. Annunziata Hospital, Savigliano, Cuneo, ItalyUnit of Radiology, S.S. Annunziata Hospital, Savigliano, Cuneo, ItalyUnit of Oncology, S.S. Annunziata Hospital, Savigliano, Cuneo, ItalyUnit of Pathology, S.S. Annunziata Hospital, Savigliano, Cuneo, ItalyUnit of Radiology, S.S. Annunziata Hospital, Savigliano, Cuneo, ItalyBreast metastases are uncommon findings compared to primary breast cancer and in particular bilateral secondary breast lesions from neuroendocrine tumor (NET)s are extremely rare with just less over 13 cases described in literature. We reported herewith the case of a 54-year-old woman who presented to our Breast Unit after noticing multiple, mobile, bilateral breast lumps. Imaging studies confirmed the presence of multiple, circumscribed, bilateral breast masses with slightly spiculated margins, classified as suspicious for malignancy (BI-RADS 4). A tru-cut biopsy was carried out on the largest lesion of each side and histopathologic and immunohistochemistry examination was consistent with metastases from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET). Total-body CT revealed the presence of a mass located in the pancreatic body - tail with associated abdominal lymphadenopathies and multiple secondary nodules in bilateral breast and in the liver. Stage IV disease was diagnosed, patient did not undergo surgery and started LAR – octreotide therapy. Although rare, breast metastases from NETs represent an important diagnostic challenge for practitioners because of the difficulty to differentiate from a primary breast carcinoma or even from benign breast lesions. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of bilateral breast metastases in differential diagnosis of breast lesions in order to ensure the correct diagnosis and the most appropriate management of these patients.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043321006580BreastMetastasesNeuroendocrine TumorPancreasComputed TomographyMagnetic Resonance Imaging |
| spellingShingle | Lorenzo Vassallo, MD Mirella Fasciano, MD Grazia Ortoleva, MD Enrico Armando, MD Federica Groppo Marchisio, MD Lucianna Russo, MD Carla Angela Zavattero, MD Gisella Lingua, MD Bilateral breast metastases as the first manifestation of an occult pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor Radiology Case Reports Breast Metastases Neuroendocrine Tumor Pancreas Computed Tomography Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
| title | Bilateral breast metastases as the first manifestation of an occult pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor |
| title_full | Bilateral breast metastases as the first manifestation of an occult pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor |
| title_fullStr | Bilateral breast metastases as the first manifestation of an occult pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bilateral breast metastases as the first manifestation of an occult pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor |
| title_short | Bilateral breast metastases as the first manifestation of an occult pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor |
| title_sort | bilateral breast metastases as the first manifestation of an occult pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor |
| topic | Breast Metastases Neuroendocrine Tumor Pancreas Computed Tomography Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043321006580 |
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