Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung: an aggressive disease potentially treatable with surgery.
BACKGROUND
Assessment of clinical and pathologic features of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma to confirm its specificity in the setting of high grade neuroendocrine pulmonary tumors.


METHODS
From 1989 to 2001, 123 patients with a neuroendocrine carcinoma were surgically treated in a curative intent at a single institution. According to the 1999 World Health Organization classification, 20 patients were reviewed as having a large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Clinical data as well as detailed pathologic analysis and survival were collected.


RESULTS
There were 18 men and 2 women. The median age was 62 years. Four patients had a preoperative diagnosis of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. The resections consisted of 14 lobectomies and 6 pneumonectomies. There was no operative death. Complications occurred in 7 patients (35%). Four patients had a stage I of the disease, 4 had stage II, 9 had stage III, and 3 had stage IV. At follow-up (median, 46 months), 13 patients died from general recurrence and 7 patients were still alive. Median time to progression was 9 months (range, 1 to 54 months). The 5-year survival rate was 36% (median, 49 months) and it seemed to be negatively influenced by the disease stage (54% for stage I-II vs 25% for stage III-IV; p = 0.07), the presence of metastatic lymph node (45% for N0/N1 vs 17% for N2; p = 0.12), or vessel invasion (66 vs 25%; p = 0.18).


CONCLUSIONS
Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma predominantly occurred in men. An accurate tissue diagnosis was rarely obtained preoperatively. Although overall survival after resection was substantial, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma frequently showed pathologic features of occult metastatic disease, such as lymph node or vessel invasion, or both.
Doddoli
Christophe
C
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Université de la Méditerranée (Aix-Marseille II), Faculty of Medicine, Sainte-Marguerite Hospital, France. christophe.doddoli@mail.ap-hm.fr
Barlesi
Fabrice
F
Chetaille
Bruno
B
Garbe
Louise
L
Thomas
Pascal
P
Giudicelli
Roger
R
Fuentes
Pierre
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate