Abstract

Introduction: Small cell carcinoma of the breast is an exceedingly rare tumour with a few cases reported in the literature. The microscopic and immunohistochemical patterns are very similar to small cell carcinoma of the lung. Thus, most of the cases are very difficult to comprehend whether the disease is primary or metastatic.
Case Presentation: We report a 73year old female who presented with a history of a breast lump for 03 months duration. A 40 x25 mm irregular mass was palpated in the upper outer quadrant of the left breast. Core biopsies of the breast lesions revealed small cell carcinoma of the breast. The patient underwent a staging workup. She underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by a left modified radical mastectomy. She was offered adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormonal therapy. The patient is alive 5 years after completion of the treatment.
Conclusion: Small cell carcinoma of the breast is a distinct lesion and the incidence is exceedingly rare. The management is multi-modality. If adequately treated can result in a good prognosis.

Key words: Small cell carcinoma, neuroendocrine tumour, oat cell carcinoma, carcinoma breast