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Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the breast are rare breast cancers whose cells make hormone-like granules, ranging from slow-growing tumours to small cell carcinoma like that of the lung. They are easily mistaken for ordinary breast cancer or for spread from elsewhere; slow-growing forms are treated like hormone-driven breast cancer and small cell forms with the lung small cell regimens. Below, week by week, is what OnCo's record of Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the breast says about the first two months: the order is typical, the timing is yours to ask about. Sections appear only where the record has something to say. Orientation, not medical advice.
Staging tests establish exactly what and where the cancer is. Everything else follows from the answers.
Ask which of these were tested and what the results were; see the report reader for what each value means.
These specialties appear in the standard of care for this cancer. In most centres they meet weekly as a tumour board to agree each plan; you can ask when yours was discussed and what was decided.
A second opinion from a centre that treats many similar cases is normal, not rude; the standard of care tells you what to compare it against.
Each row is a setting from the standard of care, in the order it usually arises. Not all will apply to you; your stage and biomarkers decide which do. The guideline grade, where recorded, says how strong the evidence is.
Treated as HR-positive breast cancer.
Surgery and the extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma pathway (platinum and etoposide, radiotherapy); no standard exists.
Generated from this cancer's standard of care, biomarkers and open problems. Take the group that matches where you are. To tick, add your own and print, open the one-page appointment sheet.
Much of what helps in the first weeks is free if you know to ask: testing, helplines, rides and lodging, second opinions, trial travel.