The frequency of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia in patients with pulmonary neuroendocrine tumours and non-neuroendocrine cell carcinomas.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the frequency of neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (NEH) in resected neuroendocrine tumours and non-neuroendocrine cell carcinomas and to study its relationship to selected clinical parameters.


RESULTS
Random blocks without tumour from resected typical carcinoids (TCs, n = 46), atypical carcinoids (ACs, n = 14), large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNECs, n = 18), small cell carcinomas (SCLCs, n = 22), adenocarcinomas (ADENOs, n = 26) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs, n = 18) were stained for CD56 and evaluated for linear proliferations, cell aggregates (>4 CD56+ cells), and tumourlets (<5 mm with basement membrane invasion). There was a statistically significant difference between the frequency of NEH in all neuroendocrine tumours (TC/AC/LCNEC/SCLC, 35/100, 35%) (P = 0.009) when compared with non-neuroendocrine carcinomas (ADENO/SCC, 6/44, 14%) and in the frequency of NEH in TC (21/46, 46%) versus all other tumours (AC/LCNEC/SCLC/SCC/ADENO, 20/98, 20%) (P = 0.001). There was increased frequency of NEH in peripheral TCs (8/13, 62%) compared with central TCs (14/33, 43%) (P = 0.33). There was no association between smoking history and NEH. Clinical and imaging data showed no evidence of an increased frequency of obliterative bronchiolitis in patients with NEH.


CONCLUSIONS
NEH is significantly increased in the background lung of neuroendocrine tumours when compared with non-neuroendocrine carcinomas, supportive data for NEH having neoplastic potential.
Rizvi
Selim M H
SM
Department of Histopathology, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK. mail@hasan.com
Goodwill
Joseph
J
Lim
Eric
E
Yap
Yoong K
YK
Wells
Athol U
AU
Hansell
David M
DM
Davis
Peter
P
Selim
Abdel-Ghani
AG
Abdel-Ghani
Syed
S
Goldstraw
Peter
P
Nicholson
Andrew G
AG
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055099:Neuroendocrine Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D055815:Young Adult
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019002:CD56 Antigen