title: High-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung presenting an unusual spread mimicking pleural mesothelioma associated with dermatomyositis.
abstract: Neuroendocrine tumors of the lung comprise a heterogeneous group of tumors that represents a spectrum of disease from typical carcinoid tumors to the high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas (large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas and small-cell carcinomas). The high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas are characterized by early metastasis and poor prognosis. The peripheral location and especially the massive pleural spread are rare for a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma. We report a case in which a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma, associated with dermatomyositis, presented an unusual pattern of progression, mimicking malignant pleural mesothelioma on diagnostic imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Therapeutics, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanazawa
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okuno
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Yoshitomo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanomata
authors.forename: Chiho
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ohbayashi
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Hozuka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akita
mesh_terms: D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000473:pathology*; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*