Triple-negative mixed neuroendocrine carcinoma in the breast：A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Introduction: Neuroendocrine carcinoma accounts for less than 0.1% of all breast cancers and is a rare clinical cancer with neuroendocrine morphology, immunophenotype, and high-grade cytologic features.

Case report: We report a case of a 54-year-old female patient with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the right breast mixed with metaplastic carcinoma and invasive ductal carcinoma (nonspecific type), and it's a rare case of triple-negative breast cancer.

Discussion: Herein, to the best of our knowledge, we present the first documented case of the mixed occurrence of the three types of breast cancer. In this case, we made the diagnosis based on morphological features and immunohistochemistry and discuss the histogenetic mechanism and therapy prognosis.

Conclusion: Reporting the different components and their proportions is extremely important for clinical treatment and prognostic analysis in clinical work. In this case, the unusual combination of components may provide a new pathologic basis for further study of the etiologic mechanisms and causation of the disease.