Neuroendocrine Carcinoma with Bone Marrow Metastasis: A Case Series

Abstract

Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs) account for 0.5% of all malignancies. Skeletal colonisation is often regarded as a rare event, and metastasis to the bone marrow occurs in the advanced stage of the disease, carrying a poor prognosis. In this report, the authors present three rare cases of Neuroendocrine Carcinomas (NEC) of the lung, diagnosed among 6766 bone marrow aspirations and biopsies performed at our institution between January 2019 and December 2022, highlighting the rarity of these cases. All three cases (63 years, 56 years and 73 years old male patients) presented to our institute at an advanced stage of the disease, with bone marrow involvement at the time of presentation. They exhibited nonspecific symptoms and had normal haematological parameters. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy confirmed metastatic NEC. The aim of this case series was to investigate bone marrow involvement in NECs, along with their clinical and radiographic features, treatment, and follow-up. Bone marrow biopsy plays a crucial role not only in diagnosing haematological diseases but also in diagnosing and staging solid tumours. Future prospectives include adopting a multimodal approach for early diagnosis and treatment of NECs.

Keywords

• aspirations
• biopsy
• neuroendocrine carcinomas
• skeletal colonisation