Journal of Integrative Oncology

Histologic and Radiographic SSTR2 Overexpression in a Cancer Patient with Clinical and Pathologic Features Initially Treated as a Breast Cancer Protocol: A Case Report

Abstract

Kim Walter, Beaty Debbie*, Goodyear Nathan, Labant Miranda, Rawls Tequilea, and Spat Tam

Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs) or Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs) are an extremely rare malignancy only comprising about two percent of all malignancies, making them difficult to diagnose and treat. Neuroendocrine tumors are those that arise from specialized neuroendocrine cells originating in many organs and causing a wide range of symptoms that could easily be mistaken with other conditions. These NEN’s are then divided into two subgroups: well-differentiated (low to intermediate grade) also called carcinoid tumors missing the characteristic neuroendocrine nuclei, and poorly differentiated (high grade) neuroendocrine carcinomas. Although there is not consensus as to the diagnostic criteria for neuroendocrine differentiation, it most often requires the expression of chromogranin-A, synaptophysin or neuron-specific enolase, in at least 50% of malignant tumor cells. Neuroendocrine Breast Cancer (NEBC) is a very rare metastatic form of breast cancer that effects less than 200,000 people in the United States and often goes misdiagnosed. Difficulty remains in the assessment, screening, and imaging as when improperly diagnosed, treatment is most often ineffective. It is expected that this case report will further research and information that is currently unavailable and under recognized on neoendocrine neoplasms.