Carcinoid tumours presenting as breast cancer: the utility of radionuclideimaging with I-123-MIBG and In-111-DTPA pentetreotide

Secondary tumours of any type in the breast are rare. A review of the liter ature demonstrated only 23 cases of carcinoid tumours with associated breas t metastasis, as distinct from primary carcinoid tumours of the breast. Dis tant metastases from carcinoid tumours are correlated with poor prognosis a nd survival. Although both primary and metastatic mammary carcinoid tumours are uncommon, the recognition of the true origin of the tumours may be of importance owing to the different clinical management and prognosis of the two conditions, Recently, radionuclide-labelled imaging techniques have bee n applied to the localization of such lesions, based on isotope uptake by r eceptors present in these neuroendocrine tumours, We report two new cases o f carcinoid tumours with breast metastases, the primaries being in the ileo caecal valve and the bronchus, respectively. The diagnosis of a carcinoid t umour was based on the clinical, biochemical, histopathological and immunos taining features. Furthermore, these patients had both I-123-MIBG and In-11 1 pentetreotide scintigraphy performed. These radionuclides play a useful r ole in the localization and potentially in the management of carcinoid tumo urs and their distant metastases.